Hit Explore. Mar 13.09. #317.

The flowers of Aphrodite, goddess of love and symbol of Athens.

Oh what a heavenly scent but you will find after a few seconds of scenting it you will lose the fragrance until you approach the flower again for another sniff. This is because the flower contains ionine which dulls the sense of smell for a short while. For this reason the flowers were strewn on floors of damp buildings in the past to mask the musty smell.

The flowers can also be used to test for acidity. An acid turns them red and alkalies turn them green.

Whilst grateful for single invites PLEASE, PLEASE< PLEASE, I really DO NOT WANT MULTIPLE ones. PLEASE no graphics, spinning or flashing comments. They stress my eyes.

© all rights reserved by B℮n

Please take your time... to View it large on black

Chianti is a red Italian wine produced in Tuscany. The first definition of a wine-area called Chianti was made in 1716. The earliest documentation of a Chianti wine dates back to the thirteenth century when viticulture was known to flourish in the Chianti Mountains around Florence. Discover the most celebrated region of Tuscany. The vineyards of this area produce one of the best wines in the world: Chianti Classico. This Wine represents a major source of wealth for the Chianti area, no wonder then that this product has been particularly looked after and protected, in order to distinguish its quality from other wine productions. This is why a rigid legislation has been introduced to regulate the production of Classic Chianti. The first limit obviously regards the geographical area where the grape must grow. But not only the vineyards must be cultivated in the prescribed area: the whole process of wine-making, storage and bottling must take place inside the protected zone. The grape variety from which Chianti is produced is Sangiovese. The alcoholic strength must not exceed 12 %. In addition to this, there are other requirements that must be followed, regarding the average amount of dry product (24 g/l); the acidity rate (4,5 g/l), the colour (intense ruby red), the smell (fruity, with nuances of wildflowers, berries, cherries or plums) and taste (harmonious, dry, strong and with respectable tannin).

We drive on the glorious wine roads of Tuscany. We visit the farms and cellars and ofcourse taste the great Chianti wine.

Denk je aan Toscana, dan zie je stadjes op heuveltoppen, wijngaarden omzoomd door cipressen zover het oog reikt. Liefhebbers weten dat je overal tussen die landerijen. wijnhuizen kunt vinden waar je ook nog eens kunt proeven... het idee alleen al doet je toch bijna het water in de mond lopen. Ook als je weer thuis bent en je neemt een slok van je meegebrachte wijn, ben je er in je gedachten weer helemaal: op dat zonovergoten terras in Castellina in Chianti of bij dat fantastische restaurant met die truffelgerechten in Monteriggioni. Zeg je wijn in Toscana, dan zeg je Chianti, een wijn die zich in de laatste 30 jaar tot Classico heeft ontwikkeld. Chianti is de bekendste en populairste van alle Italiaanse wijnen. De wijn wordt gemaakt van de alom aanwezige Sangiovese-druif, die graag veel zon heeft en goed bestand is tegen grote temperatuurschommelingen. De belangrijkste Chianti-zones worden gevormd door de streek Chianti Classico gelegen rond Castellina. Zoals met zoveel in Italia, is ook de wijnbouw begonnen in het zuiden, maar hebben de noorderlingen het later overgenomen. Na de Romeinse tijd kwam de zuidelijke wijnbouw in de versukkeling. De oudste ononderbroken wijntraditie. In de Renaissance kwam de productie weer helemaal terug en wel in...Toscana. Rijke handelaars en bankiers zoals de families Frescobaldi en Antinori namen druivenrassen mee uit Frankrijk en legden daarmee de basis voor het feit dat Toscana tegenwoordig de oudste onononderbroken wijntradities van Italië kent.

Website | Facebook | Google+ | 500px | Twitter | Youtube

View Large On Black

A slice of lime in sparkling mineral water (Valser Limelite).

I'm pretty satisfied with this 2nd food shot, even if i had to fight almost an hour for the right flash setup...

Lime is a term referring to a number of different citrus fruits, both species and hybrids, which are typically round, green to yellow in color, 3–6 cm in diameter, and containing sour and acidic pulp. Limes are a good source of vitamin C. Limes are often used to accent the flavors of foods and beverages. Limes are grown all year round and are usually smaller and more sour than lemons.

In cooking, lime is valued both for the acidity of its juice and the floral aroma of its zest. It is a very common ingredient in authentic Mexican, Southwestern United States, Vietnamese and Thai dishes. It is also used for its pickling properties in ceviche. The use of dried limes (called black lime or loomi) as a flavouring is typical of Persian cuisine and Iraqi cuisine, as well as in Gulf-style baharat (a spice mixture that is also called kabsa or kebsa). Lime is an essential ingredient of any cuisine from India, and many varieties of pickles are made, e.g. sweetened lime pickle, salted pickle, and lime chutney.

Lime leaves are also an herb in South, East, and Southeast Asia.

Lime is frequently used to add flavour to cold and hot drinks, including water, tonic and other cocktails.

To prevent scurvy during the 19th century, British sailors were issued a daily allowance of citrus, such as lemon, and later switched to lime, which was not as effective at preventing scurvy but was easier to obtain on Britain's Caribbean colonies. It was later discovered that the greater effectiveness of lemons derived from the 4-fold higher quantities of vitamin C lemon juice contains compared to the West Indian limes used by the British.

Lime juice is the juice of limes (citrus). It may be squeezed from fresh limes, or purchased in bottles in both unsweetened and sweetened varieties. Lime juice is used to make limeade, and as an ingredient (typically as sour mix) in many cocktails.

Lime extracts and essential oils are frequently used in perfumes, cleaning products, and aromatherapy.

In India, the lime is used in Tantra for removing evil spirits. It is also combined with Indian chilis to make a protective charm to repel the evil eye. Furthermore, it was believed that hanging limes over sick people cured them of the illness by repelling evil spirits lurking inside the body.

When the skin is exposed to ultraviolet light after lime juice contact, a reaction known as phytophotodermatitis can occur, which can cause darkening of the skin, swelling or blistering. The agent responsible for this is psoralen.

Lime contains 24 milligrams less vitamin C per 100 grams than the lemon.

[Source: Wikipedia]

Canon EOS 60D

Tamron SP AF60mm F/2.0 Di II LD [IF] Macro 1:1

Aperture: f/7.1

Exposure time: 1/30 second

Focal length: 60 mm

ISO Speed: 100

Tripod

Lighting: Canon Speedlite 580EX II (1/32), radio triggered with Yongnuo RF-603C

Processed with PS CS5

Fruity and spicy aromas such as red cherry, strawberry, raspberry, cranberry, cinnamon, cloves and black pepper. Light body with medium acidity, fruity and spicy the flavours remains true to the nose. Medium finish. Drink now, excellent. Pair with appetizers, summer meals, grilled fish, cold cuts, tapas or pasta

Widely read early-modern herbalists and botanists such as Matthias d'Obel (1538-1616) and Abraham Munting (1626-1683) in their descriptions of our Mouse-ear Hawkweed remark that its juice in water can be used in a smithy, for example, to sharpen - quench or temper - iron and steel cutting instruments. My curious key-board fingers sought more information.

And so I found a wonderful article by D. Scott Mackenzie (2008), 'History of Quenching'. He refers to acidic and basic waters used in quenching. Mackenzie doesn't mention Pilosella, but refers to the remarkable recipe for successful tempering given by a medieval author calling himself Theophilus Presbyter (fl. 1100) in his De diversis artibus: 'In urine etiam rufi pueri parvuli temperantur ferramenta, durius quam in aqua simplici' (=Iron instruments are also tempered harder in the urine of a young red-headed boy than in simple water).

So what's the connection to Pilosella? Well, that herb does expell urine, but this is not the point. Still, urine - I suppose also that of young red-headed boys - has a slight acidity and as such can help temper or quench sharp steel or iron instruments. And it's the case as well that this Hawkweed contains caffeic acid, chlorogenic acid and umbelliferone as do its 'waters'.

Lobelius' and Munting's remarks aren't as far-fetched as we might assume at first reading.

"Köwerich an der Mosel is a local community in the Trier-Saarburg district in Rhineland-Palatinate. It belongs to the municipality of Schweich on the Roman Wine Route.

Köwerich is one of the towns in the Trier region whose documented history dates back to the early Middle Ages. Köwerich can refer to two documents from the years 704 and 710, about whose authenticity there is no doubt and whose Latin forms of the name in villa Cabriaco and in monte Cabracense are clearly identified as Köwerich.

The individual documents themselves are not preserved in the original, but are preserved in a 13th century manuscript made in the Echternach scriptorium - in short form, but with the most important information about the material content. Both documents from the years 704 and 710 relating to the town of Köwerich are closely related to the Echternach monastery, which was founded a few years earlier, and its founders, patrons and benefactors. The manuscript contains 240 copies of documents or excerpts from the 7th to 13th centuries and is known as the Golden Book of Echternach Abbey because of its valuable content - as Liber aureus Epternacencis . The Golden Book is now kept - after an adventurous odyssey triggered by the turmoil of the French Revolution - in the manuscript department of the research and university library in Friedenstein Castle in Gotha, Thuringia.

Köwerich also plays a certain role in Beethoven 's family history: Ludwig van Beethoven's mother was named Maria-Magdalena Keverich because one of her ancestors came from the place. The home of Beethoven's ancestors is located at St.-Kunibert-Platz No. 2.

Mosel (German: [ˈmoːzl̩]) is one of 13 German wine regions (Weinbaugebiete) for quality wines (Qualitätswein, formerly QbA and Prädikatswein), and takes its name from the Mosel River (French: Moselle; Luxembourgish: Musel). Before 1 August 2007 the region was called Mosel-Saar-Ruwer, but changed to a name that was considered more consumer-friendly. The wine region is Germany's third largest in terms of production but some consider it the leading region in terms of international prestige.

The region covers the valleys of the rivers Mosel, Saar, and Ruwer from near the mouth of the Mosel at Koblenz and upstream to the vicinity of Trier in the federal state of Rhineland-Palatinate. The area is known for the steep slopes of the region's vineyards overlooking the river. At 65° degrees incline, the steepest recorded vineyard in the world is the Calmont vineyard located on the Mosel and belonging to the village of Bremm, and therefore referred to as Bremmer Calmont. The Mosel is mainly famous for its wines made from the Riesling grape, but Elbling and Müller-Thurgau also contribute to the production, among others.

In the past two decades red wine production, especially from the Spätburgunder (Pinot noir), has increased in the Mosel and throughout the German vignoble and has become of increasing interest to the international wine community. Because of the northerly location of the Mosel, the Riesling wines are often light, tending to lower alcohol, crisp and high in acidity, and often exhibit "flowery" rather than or in addition to "fruity" aromas. Its most common vineyard soil is derived in the main from various kinds of slate deposits, which tend to give the wines a transparent, mineralic aspect, that often exhibit great depth of flavor. In the current era of climate change much work has been done to improve and gain acceptance for completely dry ("Trocken") Rieslings in this region, so that most of the more famous makers have found acceptance for such wines, particularly in Europe." - info from Wikipedia.

Summer 2019 I did a solo cycling tour across Europe through 12 countries over the course of 3 months. I began my adventure in Edinburgh, Scotland and finished in Florence, Italy cycling 8,816 km. During my trip I took 47,000 photos.

Now on Instagram.

Become a patron to my photography on Patreon or donate.

"The curtain wall is the largely preserved city fortifications around the archbishop's part of Pfalzel. It was built by 1539 incorporating a medieval predecessor from the late 14th century, particularly the artillery wall with six roundels. The rampart wall (earth wall between two walls) with bastions protruding from the wall was probably built by Master Peter (builder of the Red Tower on Kaiserstrasse in Trier). The fortress was rendered unusable by the French in 1673/74. The fortification begins on the Moselle with Bastion 1, runs behind the houses east and north of Klosterstrasse, Scholasterei and Golostrasse, reinforced by Bastions 2 to 5, to the end bastion 6 behind Golostrasse 3 and 5 or Residenzstrasse 25. The moat area The outside along the rampart is now largely occupied by gardens and the cemetery. In 1961 a breakthrough was created between Bastion 5 and 6, and the system was repaired from 1970 to 1992.

Pfalzel is one of the 19 districts of the city of Trier in Rhineland-Palatinate.

Pfalzel lies in the northeast of the city, west of the Moselle. It has around 3,450 inhabitants.

The Steigenberg in the Pfalzel district is 350 m high. The Wallenbach (Kyll) rises at its northeast foot.

Similar to the Ruwer district opposite, Pfalzel is located in the flood area of ​​the Moselle. For several years now, a partially mobile flood protection system that can be installed quickly has protected houses on the Moselle up to a water level of over eleven meters. The massive protective gates on the Moselle cycle path cannot be overlooked.

Hardly any of Trier's previously independent districts can look back on a history as diverse as Pfalzel. The name goes back to the Latin word “palatiolum” (= little Palatinate) and was originally the name for a palatial castle complex from the 4th century, which was most likely closely related to the imperial court in Trier. Some of the walls of the complex that have been preserved to this day extend up to the second floor.

In the 7th century, a nunnery was founded in the building, which was de facto dissolved in 1016/17 by Archbishop Poppo von Babenberg and converted into a canon monastery. The monastery ring was supplemented with a gatehouse, cloister, chapels and farm buildings. Until the 16th century, the castle and monastery were surrounded by an impressive rampart wall that has been preserved to this day and was supplemented by a tithe barn, an Electoral Trier office building, a mint and a mill.

Under Archbishop Albero of Montreuil (1131–1152) work began on building a castle complex in the western part of the Palatiolum. A previous castle construction cannot be determined from the written sources. The Palatinate Castle repeatedly served as an alternative and “counter-residence” for the Archbishops of Trier when there were disputes with the municipality of Trier.

A civil farming settlement developed in the area around the castle, which, secured with its own defensive wall, gained town status in 1346.

During Electoral Trier times, the Pfalzel district comprised 54 towns around Trier. In French times, the canton of Pfalzel existed with several mairie.

In the Prussian period from 1815 onwards, Biewer and Ehrang, among others, belonged to the Pfalzel mayor's office. Biewer was separated in 1930 and incorporated into Trier, but Pfalzel initially remained independent.

On March 1, 1968, the two independent communities of Ehrang and Pfalzel were united to form one large community. Just a year later, however, on June 7, 1969, the municipality of Ehrang-Pfalzel was incorporated into the city of Trier. Since then, Pfalzel and Ehrang/Quint have been districts of the city of Trier.

Mosel (German: [ˈmoːzl̩]) is one of 13 German wine regions (Weinbaugebiete) for quality wines (Qualitätswein, formerly QbA and Prädikatswein), and takes its name from the Mosel River (French: Moselle; Luxembourgish: Musel). Before 1 August 2007 the region was called Mosel-Saar-Ruwer, but changed to a name that was considered more consumer-friendly. The wine region is Germany's third largest in terms of production but some consider it the leading region in terms of international prestige.

The region covers the valleys of the rivers Mosel, Saar, and Ruwer from near the mouth of the Mosel at Koblenz and upstream to the vicinity of Trier in the federal state of Rhineland-Palatinate. The area is known for the steep slopes of the region's vineyards overlooking the river. At 65° degrees incline, the steepest recorded vineyard in the world is the Calmont vineyard located on the Mosel and belonging to the village of Bremm, and therefore referred to as Bremmer Calmont. The Mosel is mainly famous for its wines made from the Riesling grape, but Elbling and Müller-Thurgau also contribute to the production, among others.

In the past two decades red wine production, especially from the Spätburgunder (Pinot noir), has increased in the Mosel and throughout the German vignoble and has become of increasing interest to the international wine community. Because of the northerly location of the Mosel, the Riesling wines are often light, tending to lower alcohol, crisp and high in acidity, and often exhibit "flowery" rather than or in addition to "fruity" aromas. Its most common vineyard soil is derived in the main from various kinds of slate deposits, which tend to give the wines a transparent, mineralic aspect, that often exhibit great depth of flavor. In the current era of climate change much work has been done to improve and gain acceptance for completely dry ("Trocken") Rieslings in this region, so that most of the more famous makers have found acceptance for such wines, particularly in Europe." - info from Wikipedia.

Summer 2019 I did a solo cycling tour across Europe through 12 countries over the course of 3 months. I began my adventure in Edinburgh, Scotland and finished in Florence, Italy cycling 8,816 km. During my trip I took 47,000 photos.

Now on Instagram.

Become a patron to my photography on Patreon or donate.

Citra is a collection of farmers in Abruzzo who got together to form a winery. They make a variety of wines that are inexpensive yet enjoyable. This is screw capped. It has a deep garnet color. The nose has cherries, candied cherries, smoke and a bit of spice. On the palate, it's more cherries and sour cherries with some spice. Good acidity. Nice finish. An easy drinking wine that is priced well. Made to drink now. Will work well with pizza, pasta or burgers.

The upper terraces at Mammoth Hot Springs are among the most fungible of hydrothermal features in Yellowstone. As the dissolved minerals in the heated water emanating from underground precipitate in the "plumbing" outlets may become plugged forcing the water to escape through new fissures. The mineral content and alkalinity or acidity of the water are incompatible with most plant life, and any tree that dared set down roots in its way is doomed when its roots become inundated. The remains can be very sculptural!

The meringue-like snow persisting on the terrace indicates that today, the ground in this area is no longer significantly warmed by thermal activity, so what was once a new outlet for hot water is itself now quiescent.

The “Pizza Margherita” or Pizza Margarita,

the one & only, an authentic classic of the never-ending new Pizze creations.

The traditional preparation, the baking method & best quality of the ingredients combined on a hand-kneaded pizza dough are the perfect basis for a good pizza.

For the topping; the original pizza tomato sauce prepared with “San Marzano Tomato”, Mozzarella di Buffalo Campana D.O.P. & the final touch, aromatic, sweet Italian Basil.

In1889 Raffaele Esposito of Pizzeria Brandi & his wife created this pizza, resembling the three colours of the Italian flag, in honour of “Queen Margherita”, wife of ”King Umberto primo” during her visit to Naples, the city widely known to be the home of pizza.

The unification of Italy was in the 19th-century with the consolidation of different states of the Italian Peninsula into a single state in 1861, the Kingdom of Italy.

However, a descriptions of such a pizza recipe, can be traced back to at least 1866 in Francesco DeBouchard's book “Customs & Traditions of Naples” in which he describes the most widespread pizza toppings of the time which included one with tomato & basil, sometimes with slices of mozzarella.

Whatever the real origins of this pizza recipe are, for sure is that Raffaele Esposito's version for Queen Margherita was the one that made it popular.

While the name Pizza Margherita may have been popularized because of the Queen's visit, a pizza made with the same toppings was already present in Naples between 1796 & 1810, in the book “Napoli, Contorni & Dintorni”, by Riccio in 1830, it was described as a pizza with tomato, mozzarella a & basil arranged in a flower-shape over the tomato sauce, along with the basil leaves: this may be the real origin of the name Margherita, because besides as a first name it is also meaning “Daisy”

On the right lower corner a picture of the “Bolloso Napoletano”

📌…Basil is not just Basil, ….just a few basil species;

Basilico, the name comes from the Latin “Basilius” & the Greek “Basilikón Phutón”, meaning "Royal or Kingly Plant"

There is a wide variety & not only in Italy. The best known is the green, large-leaved variety "Genovese", but there are also red or small-leaved varieties. Lemon or cinnamon basil, for example, have special scents, these varieties or the Indian Tulsi basil can be easily integrated into your own tea creations when dried.

📍…Genovese Basil

It is probably the best-known & most popular type, which is mainly used for pesto. It is characterized by its intensely spicy taste & its strong green leaves, it can grow up to 50 cm high under good conditions.

📍…Bolloso Napoletano

Also named “Basil Lettuce Leaf” or “Neapolitan Hedgehog”, a large-bullous, curled leaves basil with 10cm-12cm long leafs from southern Italy with fragrant leaves & a very intense aroma, growing in the Naples & Vesuvius volcano area & probably the basil used in prehistoric Pizza ages.

📍…Fine-leaved basil

This particularly small-leaved species is very similar in taste to Genovese basil; it grows quite bushy & dense.

📍…African shrub basil

The shrub-like plant with dark green leaves and violet veins not only offers something for the eye, it has an aroma that is somewhere between vanilla & camphor

📍…Basilico Rosso, Red basil

The red variety of basil is little used in Italy, but very common in South East Asia.

The leaves of this plant have a particular flavour, similar to cloves & a spicy aftertaste that goes well with many oriental cuisines.

The leaves are rich in beneficial elements that help the immune system, counteract cell aging, slow down the appearance of wrinkles, reduce stress & should be consumed raw to make the most of their therapeutic properties

📍…Thai Basil

A type of basil native to Southeast Asia that has been cultivated to provide distinctive traits. Widely used throughout Southeast Asia, its flavour, described as anise-liquorice-like & slightly spicy, is more stable under high or extended cooking temperatures than that of sweet basil. Thai basil has small, narrow leaves, purple stems & pink-purple flowers.

📍…Greek Basil

A compact plant that adapts to smaller spaces. With its small oval leaves of a beautiful bright green, this aromatic herb gives colour & flavour to dishes.

📍…Cinnamon basil

Also known as Mexican gives off an intense hint of cinnamon & spices. The leaves are more elongated, of a beautiful forest green, while the plant can reach 60-80 cm in height.

📍…Lemon basil

An annual aromatic basil, the leaves are light green, very fragrant & with a marked lemon aroma.

📍…Licorice basil

Also known as anise basil, is very similar to other species of this plant, except for the flavour very close to liquorice from which it takes its name, the plant has violet & white flowers arranged on its typical inflorescences.

📍…Mint Basil

An aromatic variety with thinner & elongated leaves than the classic type, it retains all the properties of basil, but is characterized by a fresh mint aroma.

📌…Mozzarella di Bufala Campana DOP

Approximately 200 farmers which are producing under Italian law are responsible for the "protection, surveillance, promotion & marketing" of Mozzarella di Buffalo mozzarella from Campania, with 8% fat & 4.63% protein. In 2008 the European Union granted the trademark the protected geographical status DOP, raising it from D.O.C. since 1993 designation.

References to cheese products made from water buffalo milk appeared for the first time at the beginning of the twelfth century. Buffalo mozzarella became widespread throughout the south of Italy from the second half of the eighteenth century.

The history of water buffalo in Italy is not settled, one theory is that Asian water buffalo were brought to Italy by Goths during the migrations of the early medieval period, other "most likely hypothesis" is that they were introduced by Normans from Sicily in 1000 & that Arabs had introduced them into Sicily, some documents say there were imported from Indi A fourth theory is that water buffalo were brought from Mesopotamia into the Near East by Arabs and then introduced into Europe by pilgrims and returning crusaders,

…& so on & so on, ….the point is that the mozzarella is a very versatile, fantastic fresh cheese.

📌…San Marzano Tomato

The San Marzano Tomato is the classic Italian paste tomato. This variety is an heirloom from San Marzano sul Sarno, a town in the Campania region of southern Italy, near the city of Naples. The sweet, elongated, pointy plum-type tomatoes make delicious cooked tomato sauces. San Marzano tomatoes have an intense tomato aroma & a flavour that perfectly balances a rich sweetness with refreshing acidity. This sweet-tart balance is most pronounced when the tomatoes are cooked. Harvested San Marzano tomatoes at peak ripeness if they are to be enjoyed immediately, either fresh or in a cooked sauce or crushed on a pizza.

There is an enormous difference between Roma, Plum Tomatoes & San Marzano Tomatoes.

The San Marzano Tomato is generally thinner, less uniform than Roma tomatoes & carries less seeds in only 2 instead of 3 seed chambers. The tip of San Marzano tomatoes is also much more pointed than Roma fruits. San Marzano tomatoes tend to have an intense, balanced sweet-tart taste, while Roma tomatoes have a more mild flavour that tends towards acidic.

The Roma tomato is a modern variety bred from the San Marzano heirloom tomato. Roma tomatoes are directly descended from the San Marzano. The Roma tomato was introduced to farmers in 1955 by the USDA’s Agricultural Research Service, whereas the San Marzano has been grown on the Italian coast for centuries.

📌 📌 📌 ….Whoever has taken her/his time to read it all the way down to here, will have noticed that when you look at a “Margherita Pizza” it is more than just a slice of flatbread with tomato & cheese fast food,…done right it can be a unpretentious, but great delicacy that inevitably gives you a feeling of being on the Mediterranean coast.

The next time you have a pizza with friends & they think you have the Margherita because of the economic price, you can explain them, that you are not only having a pizza, you are having a culinary heritage.

I've been asked often in my life by journalists & other people what my favourite food is

....the answer was easy,...

good food,…treated like a woman,...with love & care, it’s so simple.

👉…One World one Dream,

🙏...Danke, Xièxie 谢谢, Thanks, Gracias, Merci, Grazie, Obrigado, Arigatô, Dhanyavad, Chokrane to you & over

17 million visits in my photostream with countless motivating comments

Sunrise at Kawah Ijen (Ijen Crater), East Java, Indonesia

Ijen Crater is a nature reserve Ijen Park is located between Banyuwangi and Bondowoso District, East Java, Indonesia. This crater exactly located at the top of Mount Ijen which is one of a series of volcanoes in East Java such as Bromo, Semeru and Merapi. Another uniqueness of this crater has a level of acidity is very high with almost close to zero and the temperature of the water is 20° Celsius. In addition to elevation 2,799 m (9,183 ft). Posis crater is located in the middle of the largest caldera on the island of Java. The caldera size about 20 miles. The crater size is about 960 meters x 600 meters with a depth of 200 meters. This crater is located at a depth of more than 300 meters below the caldera wall.

This crater is a large lake with a bluish-green mist and smoke of the sulfur that is stunning. In addition, cold air with temperatures 10° Celsius, the temperature might reach 2° Celsius will increase the sensation of its own experience.

Tips:

The best time to start hiking is in the early morning, around 3 or 4 AM. You will be just on time to watch beautiful sunrise peeping through the mountain tops.

Around 10am the wind starting to blows the acid smokes of sulfur to the walkpath. It will be hard to climb down or up when it got covered with those sulfur smokes.

If you are in this situation and you don't have a mask, pour some water on the tissue or handkerchief. Cover your nose+mouth with it, breathing through your mouth. Stay low behind the rocks and don't be panic!

At 2 PM, the access to the crater is closed due to heavy white sulfuric smoke that makes hiking impossible.

HAPPY HIKING and HAVE A GREAT WEEKEND EVERYONE :)

Canon EOS 50D + EF-S 10-22mm f/3.5-4.5 USM

EXIF: 0.8 sec • f/14• 10 mm • ISO 100

Exposure Mode + White Balance: Manual

Filters: Singh-Ray RG 3stops

Software: Digital Photo Pro + Adobe Photoshop CS5

View Large

VIEW MY STREAM ON BLACK

Thanks everyone for your visit, comments, critiques, fave,invite..etc. I really appreciate it.

© all rights reserved by B℮n

Please take your time... to View it large on black

Chianti is a red Italian wine produced in Tuscany. The first definition of a wine-area called Chianti was made in 1716. The earliest documentation of a Chianti wine dates back to the thirteenth century when viticulture was known to flourish in the Chianti Mountains around Florence. Discover the most celebrated region of Tuscany. The vineyards of this area produce one of the best wines in the world: Chianti Classico. This Wine represents a major source of wealth for the Chianti area, no wonder then that this product has been particularly looked after and protected, in order to distinguish its quality from other wine productions. This is why a rigid legislation has been introduced to regulate the production of Classic Chianti. The first limit obviously regards the geographical area where the grape must grow. But not only the vineyards must be cultivated in the prescribed area: the whole process of wine-making, storage and bottling must take place inside the protected zone. The grape variety from which Chianti is produced is Sangiovese. The alcoholic strength must not exceed 12 %. In addition to this, there are other requirements that must be followed, regarding the average amount of dry product (24 g/l); the acidity rate (4,5 g/l), the colour (intense ruby red), the smell (fruity, with nuances of wildflowers, berries, cherries or plums) and taste (harmonious, dry, strong and with respectable tannin).

We drive on the glorious wine roads of Tuscany. We visit the farms and cellars and of-course taste the great Chianti wine.

Denk je aan Toscana, dan zie je stadjes op heuveltoppen, wijngaarden omzoomd door cipressen zover het oog reikt. Liefhebbers weten dat je overal tussen die landerijen. wijnhuizen kunt vinden waar je ook nog eens kunt proeven... het idee alleen al doet je toch bijna het water in de mond lopen. Ook als je weer thuis bent en je neemt een slok van je meegebrachte wijn, ben je er in je gedachten weer helemaal: op dat zonovergoten terras in Castellina in Chianti of bij dat fantastische restaurant met die truffelgerechten in Monteriggioni. Zeg je wijn in Toscana, dan zeg je Chianti, een wijn die zich in de laatste 30 jaar tot Classico heeft ontwikkeld. Chianti is de bekendste en populairste van alle Italiaanse wijnen. De wijn wordt gemaakt van de alom aanwezige Sangiovese-druif, die graag veel zon heeft en goed bestand is tegen grote temperatuurschommelingen. De belangrijkste Chianti-zones worden gevormd door de streek Chianti Classico gelegen rond Castellina. Zoals met zoveel in Italia, is ook de wijnbouw begonnen in het zuiden, maar hebben de noorderlingen het later overgenomen. Na de Romeinse tijd kwam de zuidelijke wijnbouw in de versukkeling. De oudste ononderbroken wijntraditie. In de Renaissance kwam de productie weer helemaal terug en wel in...Toscana. Rijke handelaars en bankiers zoals de families Frescobaldi en Antinori namen druivenrassen mee uit Frankrijk en legden daarmee de basis voor het feit dat Toscana tegenwoordig de oudste onononderbroken wijntradities van Italië kent.

This morning it was already hot and the heat waves were making it difficult to take photos, so I had to take what I could get. It was just too good of a sighting on a downed cape buffalo bogged down in the mud to pass up.

The vultures (there was more than 1 species) at this time were really vying for the best position to get into the access holes already made. (Their beaks are not built for breaking through the tough skin) Lots of fighting/sparring about, it was very entertaining.

There was a whole host of scavengers at this carcass, the hyena’s and who knows what else during the night had already opened the thick skin of the buffalo. The heat was quickly making the remains a dark messy mush. Thanks to our awesome guide, we were not positioned downwind.

These vultures have a body length of 78 to 99cm (31 to 39”), with a wingspan of 1.8 to 2m (6 to 7ft) and weigh in at 4 to 7.2kg (9.3 to 16lbs). This vulture unfortunately is critically endangered, poisoning has wiped out an astounding number of white-backed vultures.

This species is known for its gluttonous eating habits and with a committee (group) of about 100, they can strip a 45kg (100lbs) carcass clean in about three minutes. Sometimes eating so much that they are unable to fly. (A group of vultures eating a carcass is called a wake)

Carrion may let off a nasty stench, but a vulture’s sense of smell is quite terrible, a common trait of old world vultures. They rely on their good eyesight and the presence of other scavengers to find food. Feeding on dead animals might seem like risky business, but the high acidity levels of the vulture’s stomach acids neutralize any pathogens. So, the vulture cannot get a bad case of food poisoning nor will it spread diseases to other animals. They are vital cogs in the workings of the African ecosystem. Consuming primarily carrion, the vulture keeps the environment clean of rotting flesh helping to reduce the spread of bacteria.

... fresh Physalis in their husks. Both to eat and to photograph!

Physalis is characterised by the small orange fruit similar in size, shape and structure to a small tomato, but partly or fully enclosed in a large papery husk derived from the calyx.

The berry also goes by the names Golden Strawberry,Chinese Lantern and Cape gooseberry.

Not all Physalis species bear edible fruit. Select species are cultivated for their edible fruit, however; the typical Physalis fruit is similar to a firm tomato in texture, and like strawberries or pineapple in flavour, with a mild acidity.

Physalis fruit is a good source of vitamin C, beta-carotene, iron, calcium and trace amounts of B vitamins.

These fruits contain 18 kinds of amino acids.

These berries are also abundant in polysaccharides, compounds that may help fortify the immune system.

Yes, Nature creates its own jewellery.

A skeleton of Physalis, the small shrivelled fruit captured inside the fine lacy filigreed petals.

PHYSALIS alkekengi or Chinese Lantern Plant, they are native from southern Europe east across southern Asia to Japan.

Popular for the papery bright-orange lantern pods that develop around the ripening fruit, these are often cut and used for Thanksgiving and Halloween arrangements.

Plants are aggressive spreaders, and best kept out of the perennial border so they don't take over.

Also can be grown in tubs.

Small white flowers appear in midsummer, over a bushy mound of coarse green leaves.

Pods are green at first, but should be harvested as soon as the orange colour develops, the leaves stripped then stems hung upside down to dry in a warm dark room.

Thank you for your time and comments, greatly appreciated, M, (*_*)

For more: www.indigo2photography.com

IT IS STRICTLY FORBIDDEN (BY LAW!!!) TO USE ANY OF MY image or TEXT on websites, blogs or any other media without my explicit permission. © All rights reserved

PHYSALIS, orange, fruit, "Magda Indigo", "black background", STUDIO, square, husk, skeleton, "Golden Strawberry", "Chinese Lantern", "Cape gooseberry", design, colour, "conceptual art", "Magda indigo"

Shigakogen Highland

志賀高原・大沼池

This is the largest pond in Shigakogen Highland.

The front is Mt.Urashiga(2,040m) and emerald green colors is seen from this mountain well.

The water is strong acidity, there is no fish.

志賀高原で最も大きな沼はこちら大沼池となります。

手前の裏志賀山(2,040m)から見る景色は、

水の色が独特でエメラルドグリーン色の雰囲気が感じられます。

酸性が強く、魚は住めないようです。

Yamanouchi-machi, Nagano Pref, Japan

Folkloric

Infusion of the seed used for insomina.

Infusion also used for stomach acidity, flatulence, dyspepsia, colic.

The seed boiled in olive oil and applied warm over furuncles hastens suppuration and provides pain relief.

Nursing mothers use the dill to increase milk flow.

Chewing of the seeds helpful in halitosis.

Decoction of the herb used for colic in babies. Seed decoctions are more potent and should be adjusted accordingly.

Prepared> 5 to 10 grams in 1 liter of water, 4 to 5 cups daily.

source: stuart xchange

This is a small river in the area of Grünklosterberg, which is a part from the High Fens, a large Nature Reserve in Belgium. I couldn't find a name of this river but it's one of te rivers who leads to the reservoir Wesertall Sperre near Eupen (Belgium). Characteristic for this river is it's dark (almost black) water with high acidity.

Magic of Granite

Granites play a huge role in the structure of the crust of the continents of the Earth. But, unlike the igneous rocks of the main composition (gabbro, basalt, anorthosite, norit, troctolite), whose analogues are common on the Moon and the terrestrial planets, there are only indirect evidence of the existence of granites on other planets of the solar system. So, there are indirect signs of the existence of granites on Venus [5]. Among geologists, there is the expression "Granite - the calling card of the Earth" [6]. On the other hand, there is good reason to believe that the Earth originated from the same substance as other planets of the terrestrial group. The first composition of the Earth is reconstructed as being close to the composition of chondrites. Basalts can be smelted from such rocks, but not granites. These facts led petrologists to the formulation of the problem of the origin of granites, which had attracted the attention of geologists for many years, but it is still far from complete solution.

Currently, quite a lot is known about the origin of granites, but some fundamental problems remain unsolved. One of them is the formation of granites. In the partial melting of solid crustal matter, clearly detectable solid residues — restitic crystalline phases that have not passed into the melt — are relatively rare in them. A small amount of residual material can be seen in S-granites and I-granites. However, in the P and A granites, restite phases are usually not diagnosed. What is the reason - with complete separation of solid phases and melt in the process of lifting magmatic material, with subsequent transformation of solid residues, the lack of criteria for their diagnosis, or with a defect in the petrological model itself - is not yet clear. The problem of restit residues raises other questions. By partially melting amphibole-containing rocks of high acidity, only about 20% of low-potassium granite material can be obtained. In this case, 80% of the anhydrous solid residue consisting of pyroxene, plagioclase or garnet should remain. Although the rocks in the lower part of the continental crust have similar mineral composition, their fragments carried by volcanoes do not carry geochemical signs of the refractory residual material. There is an assumption that this material was somehow immersed in the upper mantle, but there is no direct evidence of the reality of this process. It is possible that in this case the petrological model needs to be corrected.

There are other ambiguities in the study of the process of the origin of granites. However, modern research methods have reached a level that allows us to hope that the right solutions will be found in the near future.

Mejor pincha aquí para ver en grande sobre negro o pulsa 'L'.

Better click here to view this large on black or press 'L'.

© Derechos de Autor. Esta fotografía no podra usarse sin mi consentimiento escrito.

© All rights reserved, don´t use this image without my permission.

Campo de Cariñena: Album/Set

Vineyards/Viñedos: Album/Set

Ahora puedes seguirme en:/ Now you can follow me in:

500px |Getty | Twitter | 123rf | fotolia | Tumblr | Fluidr | Flickriver | flickrhivemind | Darckr | Canonistas

Puedes adquirir esta foto en: Getty Images

You can buy this photo in: Getty Images

Canon 450D + ZEISS Distagon T* 2,8/21, @21mm, 1/160 sec, f/6,3, ISO 400

No Tripod, Date 08/14/2011 20:45:08

Como se hizo: Primera imagen con mi nuevo objetivo Distagon 21/2.8 ZE, sinceramente estoy gratamente sorprendido por la calidad del mismo, los que conocéis ZEISS creo que no os tengo nada que comentar. A pesar de ser un objetivo manual, el enfoque es muy rápido y preciso. La calidad de las imágenes es… necesario mucho menos procesado para obtener mejores resultados.

Sin duda el mejor objetivo que ha pasado por mis manos.

Imagen procedente en sólo fichero RAW, con muy, muy, poco, procesado.

Envero (en francés Véraison) es un término empleado en Viticultura para indicar una de las fases del ciclo de maduración de la uva. El envero produce un cambio en el color de las uvas, de forma que las variedades tintas se colorean con las antocianinas o pigmentos rojos y azulados, mientras que las variedades blancas se vuelven rubias o amarillas. A partir de ese momento, el pigmento de la uva ya no es verde, como ocurría cuando las bayas estaban inmaduras y debían su color exclusivamente a la clorofila. El envero representa una transición entre el crecimiento de la uva y su maduración. El proceso del envero tiene lugar en el verano y puede considerarse el comienzo de una cuenta atrás que permite calcular aproximadamente, al cabo de unos 45-50 días, el instante de la vendimia. Ese plazo de maduración a partir del envero depende de las variedades y de los climas donde se cultiva la planta. La ciencia de la Viticultura determina cuáles son los parámetros ideales de madurez en las uvas. Cuando se alcanzan esos valores -decisivos para la posterior elaboración de los vinos- puede efectuarse la vendimia.

Las uvas a medida que van creciendo en la vid, van experimentando cambios morfológicos y fisiológicos que les permiten acumular en sus bayas una serie de sustancias: azúcares (principalmente hexosas como la glucosa), ácidos (ácido tartárico, ácido málico, cítrico) aromas primarios (terpenos) y compuestos fenólicos (polifenoles) que son responsables del color, del gusto y de la estructura de los vinos (antocianinas, taninos, catequinas). Parámetros muy importante para decidir el instante ideal de la vendimia son la concentración de azúcares en las uvas, así como la disminución del ácido málico y del ácido tartárico, y el estado de maduración de la piel de las bayas (pigmentos, taninos). En la actualidad se vigila la concentración del ácido glucónico como parámetro más importante que determina la sanidad de la uva en el momento de maduración.

En otros tiempos los viticultores probaban las uvas a partir del instante del envero y,valorando su sabor dulce y el descenso progresivo de la acidez, determinaban el comienzo de la vendimia. Más tarde se utilizaron aparatos de medida que permiten calcular el contenido de acidez (acidímetros) y de azúcar en las uvas (refractómetros). Con un refractómetro portátil bastan pequeñas cantidades de mosto para determinar la concentración de azúcar en grados Brix.

De cosecha propia... y siempre de oidas, una de las cosas que más me sorprendio de este proceso, es que lo "ideal" es tener mucho calor por el día(no es bueno que le de el sol a 50ºC a la uva, sino que haga calor en el ambiente) y fresco por la noche.

English:

Making off: The first image with my new lens Distagon 21/2.8 ZE, sincerely I´m pleasingly surprised by the quality of the same one, that you know ZEISS believe that I you don´t have anything to comment on. Though is a manual lens, the focus is very rapid and precise. The quality of the images is … necessarily much less processed to obtain better results.

Undoubtedly the best lens that i´ve has in my hands.

Proceeding image in only file RAW, with very, very, little, processing.

Véraison is a viticulture (grape-growing) term meaning "the onset of ripening". It is originally French, but has been adopted into English use. The official definition of veraison is "change of color of the grape berries." Veraison represents the transition from berry growth to berry ripening, and many changes in berry development occur at veraison.

Grape berries follow a double sigmoid growth curve. The initial phase of berry growth is a result of cell division and cell expansion. As berry growth of phase I slows this is termed the lag phase. The lag phase is not a physiological growth stage, but an artificial designation between the two growth periods of grape berry development.

Post-veraision, fruit acidity decreases due to degradation of Malic acid. The degradation of malic acid during ripening makes Tartaric acid the predominant acid; grape berries also possess a small amount of citric acid. Tartaric acid accumulates early in phase I of berry growth, while malic acid accumulates at the end of phase I berry growth.

At the same time as acidity decreases, hexose sugars are accumulated. The accumulation of hexose sugars (glucose, fructose) is associated with the development of xylem cell discontinuities. These discontinuities reduce the volume of water entering the berry relative to the volume of sugar, resulting in an increase in sugar concentration. Physiologically the sugar concentration can increase to around 25 percent via sugar imporation. Further increases in sugar concentration are due to dehydration of the fruit. The deposition of sugar into the berry depends on the level of leaf photosynthesis, the number of competing sinks on the vine and sugar importation.

As ripening continues, the fruit becomes attractive to animals. The fruit changes from acidic to sweet with fruity aromas. As ripening occurs, herbaceous aromas (e.g. methoxypyrazines) are degraded. It is unknown whether the degradation of herbaceous aromas allows fruit aromas to be detected, or if fruity aromas develop later in berry ripening.

The berry also changes in color. Presumably chlorophyll is broken down. In white cultivars carotenoids are formed, while in red cultivars anthocyanins and xanthophylls are formed.

The trigger of veraison is unknown, but veraison signifies the seed reaching maturity. However, seed maturity is unlikely to cause as seedless berries also proceed through veraison.

In most species of Hydrangea the flowers are white, but in some species, can be blue, red, pink, or purple. In Hydrangea species the exact color often depends upon the acidity or alkalinity of the soil. Acidic soils produce blue flowers, neutral soils produce pale cream petals, and alkaline soils result in pink or purple. www.theflowerexpert.com

© all rights reserved by B℮n

Please take your time... to View it large on black

Chianti is a red Italian wine produced in Tuscany. The first definition of a wine-area called Chianti was made in 1716. The earliest documentation of a Chianti wine dates back to the thirteenth century when viticulture was known to flourish in the Chianti Mountains around Florence. Discover the most celebrated region of Tuscany. The vineyards of this area produce one of the best wines in the world: Chianti Classico. This Wine represents a major source of wealth for the Chianti area, no wonder then that this product has been particularly looked after and protected, in order to distinguish its quality from other wine productions. This is why a rigid legislation has been introduced to regulate the production of Classic Chianti. The first limit obviously regards the geographical area where the grape must grow. But not only the vineyards must be cultivated in the prescribed area: the whole process of wine-making, storage and bottling must take place inside the protected zone. The grape variety from which Chianti is produced is Sangiovese. The alcoholic strength must not exceed 12 %. In addition to this, there are other requirements that must be followed, regarding the average amount of dry product (24 g/l); the acidity rate (4,5 g/l), the colour (intense ruby red), the smell (fruity, with nuances of wildflowers, berries, cherries or plums) and taste (harmonious, dry, strong and with respectable tannin).

We drive on the glorious wine roads of Tuscany. Grapes and olives require similar climatic and soil conditions and share coinciding harvest times, making them a natural pair in the fields.

Long-term agricultural biodiversity appeals to vineyard owners, who realize that economic and seasonal variables, as well as consumer taste, make production of more than one quality product a proactive approach. Additionally, olive groves protect vineyards against strong winds, acting as windbreaks. We visit the farms and cellars and ofcourse taste the great Chianti wine.

Denk je aan Toscana, dan zie je stadjes op heuveltoppen, wijngaarden omzoomd door cipressen zover het oog reikt. Liefhebbers weten dat je overal tussen die landerijen. wijnhuizen kunt vinden waar je ook nog eens kunt proeven... het idee alleen al doet je toch bijna het water in de mond lopen. Ook als je weer thuis bent en je neemt een slok van je meegebrachte wijn, ben je er in je gedachten weer helemaal: op dat zonovergoten terras in Castellina in Chianti of bij dat fantastische restaurant met die truffelgerechten in Monteriggioni. Zeg je wijn in Toscana, dan zeg je Chianti, een wijn die zich in de laatste 30 jaar tot Classico heeft ontwikkeld. Chianti is de bekendste en populairste van alle Italiaanse wijnen. De wijn wordt gemaakt van de alom aanwezige Sangiovese-druif, die graag veel zon heeft en goed bestand is tegen grote temperatuurschommelingen. De belangrijkste Chianti-zones worden gevormd door de streek Chianti Classico gelegen rond Castellina. Zoals met zoveel in Italia, is ook de wijnbouw begonnen in het zuiden, maar hebben de noorderlingen het later overgenomen. Na de Romeinse tijd kwam de zuidelijke wijnbouw in de versukkeling. De oudste ononderbroken wijntraditie. In de Renaissance kwam de productie weer helemaal terug en wel in...Toscana. Rijke handelaars en bankiers zoals de families Frescobaldi en Antinori namen druivenrassen mee uit Frankrijk en legden daarmee de basis voor het feit dat Toscana tegenwoordig de oudste onononderbroken wijntradities van Italië kent.

The Castle Geyser is located in the Upper Geyser Basin of Yellowstone National Park. Its cone is large and it is estimated to be more than 1000 years old . During that period it has grown due to the deposition of geyserite sinter brought up by each eruption.

Like most geysers, Castle has a "circle of destruction" around it where most plant life has been killed by the heat, acidity and sulfurous compounds. The tree in the foreground is a typical example.

Serra do Marão is the sixth largest elevation of mainland Portugal, with an altitude of 1415 m. It lies in the transition region of Douro Litoral to Trás os Montes and Alto Douro.

At the highest point is the geodetic vertex of the Marão and the Astronomy Observatory Marão.

The vine is the dominant culture in the inhabited areas of its southern slopes.

Geologically it is composed of large patches of schist or granite, in the area of Campanhó exists a small pouch of limestone, which is exploited for agricultural purposes to correct the soil acidity.

Along the ridge are several installations of abandoned tungsten mines that had their heyday in the times of World War II.

This is the first time I've planted Siletz tomatoes and they're awesome; juicy, sweet with a bit of acidity to balance it out, just full of flavour!

chardonnay grapes, rows planted in the direction of the sea breezes - keeps the grapes cool and higher in acidity

© all rights reserved by B℮n

Please take your time... to View it large on black

Chianti is a red Italian wine produced in Tuscany. The first definition of a wine-area called Chianti was made in 1716. The earliest documentation of a Chianti wine dates back to the thirteenth century when viticulture was known to flourish in the Chianti Mountains around Florence. Discover the most celebrated region of Tuscany. The vineyards of this area produce one of the best wines in the world: Chianti Classico. This Wine represents a major source of wealth for the Chianti area, no wonder then that this product has been particularly looked after and protected, in order to distinguish its quality from other wine productions. This is why a rigid legislation has been introduced to regulate the production of Classic Chianti. The first limit obviously regards the geographical area where the grape must grow. But not only the vineyards must be cultivated in the prescribed area: the whole process of wine-making, storage and bottling must take place inside the protected zone. The grape variety from which Chianti is produced is Sangiovese. The alcoholic strength must not exceed 12 %. In addition to this, there are other requirements that must be followed, regarding the average amount of dry product (24 g/l); the acidity rate (4,5 g/l), the colour (intense ruby red), the smell (fruity, with nuances of wildflowers, berries, cherries or plums) and taste (harmonious, dry, strong and with respectable tannin).

We drive on the glorious wine roads of Tuscany. Grapes and olives require similar climatic and soil conditions and share coinciding harvest times, making them a natural pair in the fields.

Long-term agricultural biodiversity appeals to vineyard owners, who realize that economic and seasonal variables, as well as consumer taste, make production of more than one quality product a proactive approach. Additionally, olive groves protect vineyards against strong winds, acting as windbreaks. We visit the farms and cellars and ofcourse taste the great Chianti wine.

Denk je aan Toscana, dan zie je stadjes op heuveltoppen, wijngaarden omzoomd door cipressen zover het oog reikt. Liefhebbers weten dat je overal tussen die landerijen. wijnhuizen kunt vinden waar je ook nog eens kunt proeven... het idee alleen al doet je toch bijna het water in de mond lopen. Ook als je weer thuis bent en je neemt een slok van je meegebrachte wijn, ben je er in je gedachten weer helemaal: op dat zonovergoten terras in Castellina in Chianti of bij dat fantastische restaurant met die truffelgerechten in Monteriggioni. Zeg je wijn in Toscana, dan zeg je Chianti, een wijn die zich in de laatste 30 jaar tot Classico heeft ontwikkeld. Chianti is de bekendste en populairste van alle Italiaanse wijnen. De wijn wordt gemaakt van de alom aanwezige Sangiovese-druif, die graag veel zon heeft en goed bestand is tegen grote temperatuurschommelingen. De belangrijkste Chianti-zones worden gevormd door de streek Chianti Classico gelegen rond Castellina. Zoals met zoveel in Italia, is ook de wijnbouw begonnen in het zuiden, maar hebben de noorderlingen het later overgenomen. Na de Romeinse tijd kwam de zuidelijke wijnbouw in de versukkeling. De oudste ononderbroken wijntraditie. In de Renaissance kwam de productie weer helemaal terug en wel in...Toscana. Rijke handelaars en bankiers zoals de families Frescobaldi en Antinori namen druivenrassen mee uit Frankrijk en legden daarmee de basis voor het feit dat Toscana tegenwoordig de oudste onononderbroken wijntradities van Italië kent.

Blue hydrangeas are among my favorite garden plants. Hydrangeas are very sensitive to soil acidity. When I purchased this bush, the flowers were deep blue, but have come up pink every year afterwards. This year, after flowering had already begun, I added soil conditioners (traditionally aluminum sulfate is used) to lower the pH of the soil, making it weakly acidic. The hydrangea responded, with new buds producing a lavender/light blue flower. The pink flowers had already blossomed and the effect on them is minimal...the result, a hydrangea with both pink and blue flowers.

View On Black

This moth is a member of the Zygaenidae family. It is found in Syria, Mesopotamia, Asia Minor, Israel and Lebanon. It is a day-flying moth. Its bright colors are a warning for its predators that the moths are distasteful - it contain hydrogen cyanide (HCN). If it is eaten, then the high acidity of the predators stomach activates enzymes that produces the hydrogen cyanide gas causing the predator to vomit and to think twice before it makes a similar decision in the future :)

Thanks to all who viewed, commented on and or faved my photo. It is greatly appreciated. Raed :)

Terraced iron-sulphate-stromatolites formed by acid leachates from pyrite-bearing mine wastes, Santa Rosa mine (Iberian Pyrite Belt, Riotinto Mining Basin, Huelva, Spain)

Terraced iron formations of millimetric to metric scale are usually developed during the oxidation and hydrolysis/precipitation of dissolved iron in the acidic solutions after they emerge from waste piles, tailings, or mine portals, and they display a morphological pattern similar to that observed in travertines formed in Ca2+-HCO3 ––rich spring waters. TIFs differ from calcareous travertines, however, in their mineralogical composition, which is characterized by hydrous iron (oxy)hydroxides and/or hydroxysulfates, in agreement with the typical Fe(II)/Fe(III)-SO4 2– chemical composition of most acid mine drainage solutions. These spectacular formations are the result of the interaction between (1) highly acidic and Fe(II)-enriched waters, (2) atmospheric oxygen, and (3) acidophilic microbes that have found perfect habitats for their Fe-oxidizing metabolisms in these extreme environments. The abiotic processes could be more important than the biotic factors in winter (higher flow, lower temperature), and conversely, the bacterial activity could play a major role in summer (lower flow, higher temperature).

The water from the Tintillo river (and other rivers and creeks from Riotinto Mining Basin, Huelva, Spain) has a nearly unique red and orange colour derived from its extremely acidic chemical makeup, with very high levels of iron and heavy metals. There are a number of subsurface sulfide (mainly pyrite) bodies responsible for this acidity. These mineral bodies belong to the Iberian Pyrite Belt, formed 350 My ago in the Devonian Period, connected to active and hydrothermal volcanism that led to the formation of a volcanic-sedimentary complex. Volcanic activity in the region led to eight giant volcanogenic massive sulfide ore deposits associated with polymetallic massive flanks of volcanic cones in the form of pyrite, but also chalcopyrite, sphalerite, galena and cassiterite.

References:

Iron terraces in acid mine drainage systems: A discussion about the organic and inorganic factors involved in their formation through observations from the Tintillo acidic river (Riotinto mine, Huelva, Spain)

pubs.geoscienceworld.org/gsa/geosphere/article-pdf/3/3/13...

The Tintillo acidic river (Rio Tinto mines, Huelva, Spain): an example of extreme environmental impact of pyritic mine wastes on the environment or an exceptional site to study acid-sulphate mine drainage systems?

www.researchgate.net/publication/235355068_The_Tintillo_a...

In questa zona, conosciuta anche come Hverir, esistono molte fumarole fumanti e pentole di fango bollente, circondate da cristalli di zolfo di vari colori.rsi.

A una profondità di 1000 metri, la temperatura è superiore a 200°C.

L'acqua che scorre sotto la superficie viene rapidamente riscaldata e torna in superficie trasformata in vapore.

Il gas della fumarola contiene acido solfidrico che provoca quel caratteristico odore di uova marce che rende questi luoghi così particolari.

Il suolo della zona presenta poca vegetazione a causa dell'acidità causata da questi processi geotermici.

Nel 1969 è stata costruita una centrale geotermica a ovest dell'area di Námafjall.

L'impianto attualmente produce 60 MW di energia geotermica.

Sono state sollevate preoccupazioni sui piani attuali per espandere l'impianto a 90 MW.

In particolare, ci sono state preoccupazioni per quanto riguarda l'effetto dell'impianto sul delicato ecosistema del lago Mývatn.

Il capo di una ONG ambientale ha recentemente chiesto una nuova valutazione di impatto ambientale sui piani e la questione continua a essere dibattuta.

Nella foto si scorgono le tubazioni di trasporto dei gas agli impianti di trasformazione e le bolle rosse di protezione dei siti di fuoriuscita dei gas.

In this area, also known as Hverir, there are many steaming fumaroles and boiling mud pots, surrounded by sulfur crystals of various colors.

At a depth of 1000 meters, the temperature is above 200 ° C.

The water flowing under the surface is rapidly heated and returns to the surface transformed into steam.

The fumarole gas contains hydrogen sulphide which causes that characteristic smell of rotten eggs that makes these places so special.

The soil in the area has little vegetation due to the acidity caused by these geothermal processes.

In 1969, a geothermal power plant was built west of the Námafjall area.

The plant currently produces 60 MW of geothermal energy.

Concerns have been raised about current plans to expand the plant to 90 MW.

In particular, there have been concerns regarding the effect of the plant on the delicate ecosystem of Lake Mývatn.

The head of an environmental NGO recently called for a new environmental impact assessment on the plans and the issue continues to be debated.

In the photo you can see the gas transport pipes to the transformation plants and the red protection bubbles of the gas leakage sites.

© all rights reserved by B℮n

Please take your time... to View it large on black

Chianti is a red Italian wine produced in Tuscany. The first definition of a wine-area called Chianti was made in 1716. The earliest documentation of a Chianti wine dates back to the thirteenth century when viticulture was known to flourish in the Chianti Mountains around Florence. Discover the most celebrated region of Tuscany. The vineyards of this area produce one of the best wines in the world: Chianti Classico. This Wine represents a major source of wealth for the Chianti area, no wonder then that this product has been particularly looked after and protected, in order to distinguish its quality from other wine productions. This is why a rigid legislation has been introduced to regulate the production of Classic Chianti. The first limit obviously regards the geographical area where the grape must grow. But not only the vineyards must be cultivated in the prescribed area: the whole process of wine-making, storage and bottling must take place inside the protected zone. The grape variety from which Chianti is produced is Sangiovese. The alcoholic strength must not exceed 12 %. In addition to this, there are other requirements that must be followed, regarding the average amount of dry product (24 g/l); the acidity rate (4,5 g/l), the colour (intense ruby red), the smell (fruity, with nuances of wildflowers, berries, cherries or plums) and taste (harmonious, dry, strong and with respectable tannin).

We drive on the glorious wine roads of Tuscany. We visit the farms and cellars and ofcourse taste the great Chianti wine..

Denk je aan Toscana, dan zie je stadjes op heuveltoppen, wijngaarden omzoomd door cipressen zover het oog reikt. Liefhebbers weten dat je overal tussen die landerijen. wijnhuizen kunt vinden waar je ook nog eens kunt proeven... het idee alleen al doet je toch bijna het water in de mond lopen. Ook als je weer thuis bent en je neemt een slok van je meegebrachte wijn, ben je er in je gedachten weer helemaal: op dat zonovergoten terras in Castellina in Chianti of bij dat fantastische restaurant met die truffelgerechten in Monteriggioni. Zeg je wijn in Toscana, dan zeg je Chianti, een wijn die zich in de laatste 30 jaar tot Classico heeft ontwikkeld. Chianti is de bekendste en populairste van alle Italiaanse wijnen. De wijn wordt gemaakt van de alom aanwezige Sangiovese-druif, die graag veel zon heeft en goed bestand is tegen grote temperatuurschommelingen. De belangrijkste Chianti-zones worden gevormd door de streek Chianti Classico gelegen rond Castellina. Zoals met zoveel in Italia, is ook de wijnbouw begonnen in het zuiden, maar hebben de noorderlingen het later overgenomen. Na de Romeinse tijd kwam de zuidelijke wijnbouw in de versukkeling. De oudste ononderbroken wijntraditie. In de Renaissance kwam de productie weer helemaal terug en wel in...Toscana. Rijke handelaars en bankiers zoals de families Frescobaldi en Antinori namen druivenrassen mee uit Frankrijk en legden daarmee de basis voor het feit dat Toscana tegenwoordig de oudste onononderbroken wijntradities van Italië kent.

the original here > www.flickr.com/photos/schyter/8525541021/in/photostream/

digital negative printed > Hp laserjet 4100 on glossy

support paper > Fabriano F4 24x33cm smooth 220gr

cyanotype recipe > classic formula (two coats)

development > pure white vinegar (6% acidity) 1min

wash > water 1min

bleaching > soda 4gr / 3lt 2min.

toned > J-Nùsol FM ( Attention: FM formula!!) 25min.

re-bleaching > soda 4gr / 3lt 1min.

re-toned > J-Nùsol-FM ! 5min

wash > water 30min

print scanned > Epson V600 (720dpi, reduced) gray 16-bit

A long exposure, with a mag-mini flashlight (top taken off).

I dig the acidity (Urban Acid) and grit in this, relates a little better to rock n roll...

The rathaus or city hall was constructed in 1608.

"Bernkastel-Kues (German pronunciation: [ˌbɛɐ̯nkastəlˈkuːs]) is a town on the Middle Moselle in the Bernkastel-Wittlich district in Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany. It is a well-known winegrowing centre. The town is a state-recognized health resort (Erholungsort), seat of the Verbandsgemeinde of Bernkastel-Kues and birthplace of one of the most famous German polymaths, the mediaeval churchman and philosopher Nikolaus von Kues (Cusanus).

Bernkastel-Kues is located in the Moselle valley, about 50 kilometers from Trier. The highest elevation is Mount Olympus (415 m above sea level), the lowest point (107 m above sea level) is on the banks of the Moselle. The urban area covers a total area of ​​23.71 km², of which 5.93 km² is used for agriculture. This makes Bernkastel-Kues one of the largest cities in the Middle Moselle in terms of area. Immediately neighboring local communities are (clockwise, starting from the north) Zeltingen-Rachtig, Graach an der Mosel, Longkamp, ​​Monzelfeld, Mülheim an der Mosel, Lieser, Maring-Noviand and Platten.

Left tributaries of the Moselle are Heldengraben, Thelengraben, Waldgraben, Krausbach and the stream from the Wehlener Forest. The right tributaries of the Moselle are Goldbach, Heidesheimgraben, Tiefenbach and Schadbach.

Archaeologists discovered the first evidence of human settlement (3000 BC) in Cusa. Around 370, Decimus Magnus Ausonius, Roman poet and teacher at the imperial court, wrote his poem Mosella. Adalbero of Luxembourg, provost of the Trier Monastery of St. Paulin, became Lord of Bernkastel. The first documented mention of Bernkastel dates back to the first half of the 11th century. At the turn of the 7th and 8th centuries a geographer named a place Princastellum. This is considered evidence of a Roman fort in the 4th century near today's Landshut castle ruins; This is indicated, among other things, by fittings, ceramics and iron finds below the castle. The form of the name in the 12th century Beronis castellum was a learned relatinization that referred to the Trier provost Adalbero of Luxembourg (11th century). The third castle construction began in 1277 under the rule of Trier Archbishop Heinrich II von Finstingen . On May 29, 1291, King Rudolf I of Habsburg granted Berrincastel city rights. The Landshut Castle, which was built at that time, only received this name in the 16th century. In 1332 the city rights were reconfirmed by Emperor Ludwig of Bavaria's collecting privilege. Archbishop Boemund II became elector through the Golden Bull. According to legend, he was cured of a serious illness by a glass of wine - the legend of the Berncastler Doctor began. In 1401, Nicolaus Cusanus was born in the house of the Moselle boatman Henne Cryfftz (Krebs), which can be visited. In 1451, the St. Nicholas Hospital (Cusanusstift), a hospital for the poor, was built. In 1505, the name Landshut appeared for the first time for the archbishop's castle in a sovereign decree from James II. In 1512, Emperor Maximilian stayed in Bernkastel on his way to the Reichstag in Trier. The plague raged in Bernkastel in 1627 and in Kues in 1641. In 1692, Landshut Castle fell victim to a fire and has been in ruins ever since. In 1787 the Electorate of Berncastel had 4,743 inhabitants. From 1794 to 1814 Bernkastel was a cantonal town under French rule; at the Congress of Vienna (1815) Bernkastel and Kues were added to the Kingdom of Prussia. Bernkastel became the seat of the Bernkastel mayor's office and in 1821 the seat of the Bernkastel district . In 1848 the revolution also came to Bernkastel: the black, red and gold flag was hoisted at the town hall and a vigilante group was formed. The first road bridge between Bernkastel and Kues was built in 1872/74, and the first rail connection in 1882/83.

The town in its current form was created on April 1, 1905 through the merger of the town of Bernkastel with the wine-growing village of Kues opposite. In 1926 there were major wine unrests on the Moselle, the tax office in Bernkastel and the customs office in Kues were stormed. During the Reichspogromnacht on November 9, 1938, there were serious riots against Jewish fellow citizens; the synagogue was destroyed. Towards the end of the Second World War, the city was bombed several times. On February 19, 1945, numerous houses around the market square in Bernkastel were destroyed and 41 people were killed. In an attack on March 2nd, large parts of the old town hall and other buildings were destroyed and 29 people were killed. On March 11th the Moselle bridge was blown up and the bombardment by American artillery began the following day. On March 15th the Americans moved into Kues and on the 16th into Bernkastel.

The first democratic elections after the war took place in 1946; Hans Weber became city mayor. On November 7, 1970, Andel and Wehlen were incorporated. As a result of the Rhineland-Palatinate administrative reform, the Verbandsgemeinde of Bernkastel-Kues was formed through the merger of the offices of Bernkastel-Land, Lieser, Mülheim, Zeltingen and the city of Bernkastel-Kues. The Burgberg Tunnel was officially opened in 1997. In 2000 the partnership between Bernkastel-Kues and Karlovy Vary (Karlovy Vary) began. In 2005 the city celebrated the 100th anniversary of the merger of Bernkastel and Kues; The community became a climatic health resort.

Mosel (German: [ˈmoːzl̩]) is one of 13 German wine regions (Weinbaugebiete) for quality wines (Qualitätswein, formerly QbA and Prädikatswein), and takes its name from the Mosel River (French: Moselle; Luxembourgish: Musel). Before 1 August 2007 the region was called Mosel-Saar-Ruwer, but changed to a name that was considered more consumer-friendly. The wine region is Germany's third largest in terms of production but some consider it the leading region in terms of international prestige.

The region covers the valleys of the rivers Mosel, Saar, and Ruwer from near the mouth of the Mosel at Koblenz and upstream to the vicinity of Trier in the federal state of Rhineland-Palatinate. The area is known for the steep slopes of the region's vineyards overlooking the river. At 65° degrees incline, the steepest recorded vineyard in the world is the Calmont vineyard located on the Mosel and belonging to the village of Bremm, and therefore referred to as Bremmer Calmont. The Mosel is mainly famous for its wines made from the Riesling grape, but Elbling and Müller-Thurgau also contribute to the production, among others.

In the past two decades red wine production, especially from the Spätburgunder (Pinot noir), has increased in the Mosel and throughout the German vignoble and has become of increasing interest to the international wine community. Because of the northerly location of the Mosel, the Riesling wines are often light, tending to lower alcohol, crisp and high in acidity, and often exhibit "flowery" rather than or in addition to "fruity" aromas. Its most common vineyard soil is derived in the main from various kinds of slate deposits, which tend to give the wines a transparent, mineralic aspect, that often exhibit great depth of flavor. In the current era of climate change much work has been done to improve and gain acceptance for completely dry ("Trocken") Rieslings in this region, so that most of the more famous makers have found acceptance for such wines, particularly in Europe." - info from Wikipedia.

Summer 2019 I did a solo cycling tour across Europe through 12 countries over the course of 3 months. I began my adventure in Edinburgh, Scotland and finished in Florence, Italy cycling 8,816 km. During my trip I took 47,000 photos.

Now on Instagram.

Become a patron to my photography on Patreon or donate.

Looking from the hilltop towards Kesten.

"Mosel (German: [ˈmoːzl̩]) is one of 13 German wine regions (Weinbaugebiete) for quality wines (Qualitätswein, formerly QbA and Prädikatswein), and takes its name from the Mosel River (French: Moselle; Luxembourgish: Musel). Before 1 August 2007 the region was called Mosel-Saar-Ruwer, but changed to a name that was considered more consumer-friendly. The wine region is Germany's third largest in terms of production but some consider it the leading region in terms of international prestige.

The region covers the valleys of the rivers Mosel, Saar, and Ruwer from near the mouth of the Mosel at Koblenz and upstream to the vicinity of Trier in the federal state of Rhineland-Palatinate. The area is known for the steep slopes of the region's vineyards overlooking the river. At 65° degrees incline, the steepest recorded vineyard in the world is the Calmont vineyard located on the Mosel and belonging to the village of Bremm, and therefore referred to as Bremmer Calmont. The Mosel is mainly famous for its wines made from the Riesling grape, but Elbling and Müller-Thurgau also contribute to the production, among others.

In the past two decades red wine production, especially from the Spätburgunder (Pinot noir), has increased in the Mosel and throughout the German vignoble and has become of increasing interest to the international wine community. Because of the northerly location of the Mosel, the Riesling wines are often light, tending to lower alcohol, crisp and high in acidity, and often exhibit "flowery" rather than or in addition to "fruity" aromas. Its most common vineyard soil is derived in the main from various kinds of slate deposits, which tend to give the wines a transparent, mineralic aspect, that often exhibit great depth of flavor. In the current era of climate change much work has been done to improve and gain acceptance for completely dry ("Trocken") Rieslings in this region, so that most of the more famous makers have found acceptance for such wines, particularly in Europe." - info from Wikipedia.

Summer 2019 I did a solo cycling tour across Europe through 12 countries over the course of 3 months. I began my adventure in Edinburgh, Scotland and finished in Florence, Italy cycling 8,816 km. During my trip I took 47,000 photos.

Now on Instagram.

Become a patron to my photography on Patreon or donate.

Three from our garden. Colour transition in flowers.

Hydrangea, the name, comes from the Greek words "hydro" or water, and "angeion," or vase = water vase, they prefer a lot of water.

A very ancient plant, found in fossils going back thousands of years.

In most species the flowers are white, but in some species (notably H. macrophylla), they are blue, red, pink, light purple, or dark purple.

In these species the colour is affected by the presence of aluminium ions which are available or tied up depending upon the soil’s pH content.

For H. macrophylla and H. serrata cultivars, the flower colour can be determined by the relative acidity of the soil: an acidic soil (pH below 7), will have available aluminium ions and typically produce flowers that are blue to purple, whereas an alkaline soil (pH above 7) will tie up aluminium ions and result in pink or red flowers.

I wish you all the very best and thanx for all your kind words, time, comments, likes and faves. Very much appreciated.

M, (*_*)

For more of my other work visit here: www.indigo2photography.com

IT IS STRICTLY FORBIDDEN (BY LAW!!!) TO USE ANY OF MY image or TEXT on websites, blogs or any other media without my explicit permission. © All rights reserved

#AbFav_EDIBLE_

... fresh Physalis in their husks. Both to eat and to photograph!

Physalis is characterised by the small orange fruit similar in size, shape and structure to a small tomato, but partly or fully enclosed in a large papery husk derived from the calyx.

The berry also goes by the names Golden Strawberry,Chinese Lantern and Cape gooseberry.

Not all Physalis species bear edible fruit.

Select species are cultivated for their edible fruit, however; the typical Physalis fruit is similar to a firm tomato in texture, and like strawberries or pineapple in flavour, with a mild acidity.

Physalis fruit is a good source of vitamin C, beta-carotene, iron, calcium and trace amounts of B vitamins.

These fruits contain 18 kinds of amino acids.

These berries are also abundant in polysaccharides, compounds that may help fortify the immune system.

Thank you for your time and comments, greatly appreciated, M, (*_*)

For more: www.indigo2photography.com

IT IS STRICTLY FORBIDDEN (BY LAW!!!) TO USE ANY OF MY image or TEXT on websites, blogs or any other media without my explicit permission. © All rights reserved

PHYSALIS, orange, fruit, "Magda Indigo", "black background", STUDIO, square, husk, skeleton, "Golden Strawberry", "Chinese Lantern", "Cape gooseberry", design, colour, "conceptual art", NikonD7000, "Magda indigo"

My wife wasn't going to be at home for lunch today, so I looked in the cupboard and the fridge, and here's what I came up with (with a little help from Lord Google):

Potatoes with prosciutto, onion, and chilli flakes with a splash of vinegar

Cut into bite-sized pieces and steam the amount of potatoes you want until approaching tender. Set aside.

Finely slice a bit of onion, dice a bit of fresh rosemary. Set aside.

Slice two slices of prosciutto/person into fine strips; set aside.

In an appropriately-sized skillet, heat up a bit of butter and olive oil. Sauter the steamed potato bits until they're just starting to turn brown. Add the onions, rosemary, and prosciutto. Sprinkle with crushed chilli or add a bit of fresh chilli.

Continue to sauter until all the flavours are blended. Sprinkle with paprika of your choice and a splash of acidity (vinegar, pepper vinegar, or citrus) and serve on a warmed plate...

Karmijn de Sonnaville is a variety of apple bred by Piet de Sonnaville, working in Wageningen (the Netherlands) in 1949. It is a cross of Cox's Orange Pippin and Jonathan, and was first grown commercially beginning in 1971. It is high both in sugars (including some sucrose) and acidity. It is a triploid, and hence needs good pollination, and can be difficult to grow. It also suffers from fruit russet, which can be severe (Wikipedia).

www.powerfocus.nl

The white-rumped vulture (Gyps bengalensis) is an Old World vulture native to South and Southeast Asia. It has been listed as Critically Endangered on the IUCN Red List since 2000, as the population severely declined. White-rumped vultures die of renal failure caused by diclofenac poisoning. In the 1980s, the global population was estimated at several million individuals, and it was thought to be "the most abundant large bird of prey in the world".As of 2016, the global population was estimated at less than 10,000 mature individuals.

White-rumped vultures usually become active when the morning sun is warming up the air so that thermals are sufficient to support their soaring. They were once visible above Calcutta in large numbers.

When they find a carcass, they quickly descend and feed voraciously. They perch on trees nearby and are known to sometimes descend also after dark to feed. At kill sites, they are dominated by red-headed vultures Sarcogyps calvus. In forests, their soaring often indicated a tiger kill.They swallow pieces of old, dry bones such as ribs and of skull pieces from small mammals. Where water is available they bathe regularly and also drink water. A pack of vultures was observed to have cleaned up a whole bullock in about 20 minutes. Trees on which they regularly roost are often white from their excreta, and this acidity often kills the trees. This made them less welcome in orchards and plantations.

Hardy Monument,

Black Down,

Dorset.

42sec Exposure with Kase Filters

TAKEN - 1.53p.m. Tue 1st Sept'20

Geologically, Black Down is the western tip of the Bagshot gravel beds. The gravel beds extend to the east as far as London.

The ground around the monument is pitted with various holes and craters. Many of these are dolines or swallow holes. These are formed when rain falls on the highly acidic topsoil. The water increases in acidity as it percolates through the topsoil then dissolves the underlying chalk. Eventually there is nothing but topsoil above the caverns so formed and the familiar shape of a doline is created when the topsoil collapses into the cavern beneath. Dolines are usually shaped like a teardrop cut in half vertically and laid down horizontally. Within 1,000 m (1,100 yd) of the monument there are three dolines which were formed by the chalk being dissolved in a vertical fissure in its structure. These dolines are vertically sided and are shaped like wells. The two which opened up in 1956 are some 100 m (330 ft) deep. The one which opened in 2006 is not quite vertical and its depth is unknown.

The Hardy Monument was the origin (meridian) of the 6 inch and 1:2500 Ordnance Survey maps for Somerset and Dorset.

© all rights reserved by B℮n

Please take your time... to View it large on black

Chianti is a red Italian wine produced in Tuscany. The first definition of a wine-area called Chianti was made in 1716. The earliest documentation of a Chianti wine dates back to the thirteenth century when viticulture was known to flourish in the Chianti Mountains around Florence. Discover the most celebrated region of Tuscany. The vineyards of this area produce one of the best wines in the world: Chianti Classico. This Wine represents a major source of wealth for the Chianti area, no wonder then that this product has been particularly looked after and protected, in order to distinguish its quality from other wine productions. This is why a rigid legislation has been introduced to regulate the production of Classic Chianti. The first limit obviously regards the geographical area where the grape must grow. But not only the vineyards must be cultivated in the prescribed area: the whole process of wine-making, storage and bottling must take place inside the protected zone. The grape variety from which Chianti is produced is Sangiovese. The alcoholic strength must not exceed 12 %. In addition to this, there are other requirements that must be followed, regarding the average amount of dry product (24 g/l); the acidity rate (4,5 g/l), the colour (intense ruby red), the smell (fruity, with nuances of wildflowers, berries, cherries or plums) and taste (harmonious, dry, strong and with respectable tannin).

We drive on the glorious wine roads of Tuscany. Grapes and olives require similar climatic and soil conditions and share coinciding harvest times, making them a natural pair in the fields.

Long-term agricultural biodiversity appeals to vineyard owners, who realize that economic and seasonal variables, as well as consumer taste, make production of more than one quality product a proactive approach. Additionally, olive groves protect vineyards against strong winds, acting as windbreaks. We visit the farms and cellars and ofcourse taste the great Chianti wine.

Denk je aan Toscana, dan zie je stadjes op heuveltoppen, wijngaarden omzoomd door cipressen zover het oog reikt. Liefhebbers weten dat je overal tussen die landerijen. wijnhuizen kunt vinden waar je ook nog eens kunt proeven... het idee alleen al doet je toch bijna het water in de mond lopen. Ook als je weer thuis bent en je neemt een slok van je meegebrachte wijn, ben je er in je gedachten weer helemaal: op dat zonovergoten terras in Castellina in Chianti of bij dat fantastische restaurant met die truffelgerechten in Monteriggioni. Zeg je wijn in Toscana, dan zeg je Chianti, een wijn die zich in de laatste 30 jaar tot Classico heeft ontwikkeld. Chianti is de bekendste en populairste van alle Italiaanse wijnen. De wijn wordt gemaakt van de alom aanwezige Sangiovese-druif, die graag veel zon heeft en goed bestand is tegen grote temperatuurschommelingen. De belangrijkste Chianti-zones worden gevormd door de streek Chianti Classico gelegen rond Castellina. Zoals met zoveel in Italia, is ook de wijnbouw begonnen in het zuiden, maar hebben de noorderlingen het later overgenomen. Na de Romeinse tijd kwam de zuidelijke wijnbouw in de versukkeling. De oudste ononderbroken wijntraditie. In de Renaissance kwam de productie weer helemaal terug en wel in...Toscana. Rijke handelaars en bankiers zoals de families Frescobaldi en Antinori namen druivenrassen mee uit Frankrijk en legden daarmee de basis voor het feit dat Toscana tegenwoordig de oudste onononderbroken wijntradities van Italië kent.

Lonesome Road pours a hazy golden straw with a very full, dense white head. It releases aromas of pear, apricot, stone fruit, grass & hay. It is bright, dry and extremely effervescent but very soft with a medium body. A moderate bitterness balances the effervescence on the tongue & you are greeted by a peppery spiciness & slight acidity.

From Howe Sound in Squamish

Italy, Pizza, “Cinque Formaggi”, thin pizza with a golden brown crusty border, outside crunchy, inside soft, topped with Marzano tomato pizza sauce, five types of melted chees; Burrata, Parmigiano Reggiano, Swiss Emmentaler, Gorgonzola, Tyrolean Alpine Cheese & San Marzano Tomato, sweet Italian Basil, extra virgin Tucscany olive oil.

Pizza should be baked at temperatures between 360°C - 575°F & 426°C - 800°F, best in a pizza wood-fired brick oven by placing them on the very hot oven stone floor. If the oven dome has the above mentioned baking temperature, the oven floor will typically be cooler than that temperature.

📍 Burrata,

Burrata is an Italian cow milk, occasionally buffalo milk cheese made from mozzarella & cream.

The cheese starts out much like mozzarella & many other cheeses, with rennet used to curdle the warm milk. Unlike other cheeses, the fresh mozzarella curds are plunged into hot whey or lightly salted water, kneaded & pulled to develop the familiar stretchy strings, the pasta filata, then shaped.

When making the Burrata, the still-hot cheese is formed into a pouch, which is then filled with the scraps of leftover mozzarella, the stracciatella, topped off with fresh cream before closing. The finished burrata is traditionally wrapped in the leaves of asphodel, tied to form a little brioche-like topknot & moistened with a little whey.

The outer casing is solid cheese, while the inside contains stracciatella & cream, giving it an unusual, soft texture.

Burrata, unlike mozzarella, gets an extra treatment; the individual balls are knotted like small bags & stored in brine, the cheese is much creamier & slightly sweet, the asphodel leaves should still be green when the cheese is purchased to indicate the cheese's freshness, it is a typical product of eastern region of Puglia

📍 Parmigiano Reggiano,

Both "Parmigiano Reggiano" & "Parmesan" are protected designations of origin, PDO, for cheeses produced in these provinces under Italian & European law. Outside the EU, the name "Parmesan" can legally be used for similar cheeses, with only the full Italian name unambiguously referring to PDO Parmigiano Reggiano.

The ideal weight of a Parmigiano Reggiano wheel is between 36 and 40 kg with a diameter between 43-45 cm. More than 15 liters of milk are needed for 1 kg of Parmigiano Reggiano.

Due to its manufacturing & aging process, Parmigiano Reggiano is naturally lactose-free & therefore also suitable for intolerant people.

📌… & an unusual, but clever bank busyness …Italian cheese makers have been storing their edible treasure for maturing since the 1950s against a loan, like gold bars at banks, 1 whole Parmesano Reggiano has a value of around € 750-850. After ripening, the cheese makers repay the loan & get the wheels back; if they cannot repay the loan, the bank still has the parmesan as a guaranty & can sell it. Several 100.000 Parmesan loaves are stored in special "safe rooms"

There are different age groups:

12 months – nuovo .new

24 months – vecchio - old

36 months – stravecchio – very old

48 months - stravecchione - extravagant

Parmigiano Reggiano extra stravecchione - matured for 72 months is extremely rare only very few producers let their cheese mature for six years.

Similar cheeses

Grana Padano is an Italian cheese similar to Parmigiano Reggiano, but is produced mainly in Lombardy, where "Padano" refers to the Po Valley; the cows producing the milk may be fed silage as well as grass; the milk may contain slightly less fat, milk from several different days may be used, & must be aged a minimum of 9 months.

Reggianito is an Argentine cheese similar to Parmigiano, developed by Italian Argentine cheesemakers, the cheese is made in smaller wheels & aged for less time, but is otherwise broadly similar.

📍 Swiss Emmentaler

Emmental, Emmentaler, or Emmenthal is a yellow, medium-hard cheese that originated in the area around Emmental, in the canton of Bern in Switzerland. It is classified as a Swiss-type or Alpine cheese. Until the beginning of the 19th century, the cheese was traditionally made in the Emmental from raw milk & in loaves/wheels with a diameter from 80 to 100 cm & weigh 75 to 120 kg. The most typical feature of Emmentaler AOP are its holes. They are the size of a cherry to a nut and are formed during the ripening process. The shape of the holes can give an indication of the quality of maturity.

Emmental was first mentioned in written records in 1293, but first called by its present name in 1542 It has a savoury but mild taste. While "Emmentaler" is registered as a geographical indication in Switzerland, a limited number of countries recognize the term as a geographical indication: similar cheeses of other origins, especially from France as Emmental the Netherlands, Bavaria & Finland, are widely available and sold by that name. In some parts of the world, the names "Emmentaler" and "Swiss cheese" are used interchangeably for Emmental-style cheese.

Emmentaler AOP is available in different degrees of ripeness and intended use;

mild, nutty classic, aged for at least 4 months,

distinctively spicy "Réserve", aged for at least 8 months,

fully aromatic "cave-aged", aged for at least 12 months

the unique Emmentaler AOP URTYP®, matured to the point, the original with the original taste matured for approx. 12 months, of which at least 7 months in damp storage.

📍 Gorgonzola

A veined blue cheese, originally from Italy, made from unskimmed cow's milk. It can be buttery or firm, crumbly & quite salty, with a "bite" from its blue veining.

Gorgonzola is one of the most famous noblemold cheeses & only produced in the regions of Piedmont & Lombardy; to preserve the originality producers have founded the "Cosortium for the Protection of Gorgonzola".

Gorgonzola is usually made from the milk of two milking, which is either poured together or coagulated separately. For the characteristic veins of mold in Gorgonzola, the cheesemaker inoculates the curd with cultures of “Penicillium Roquefort”. When the Gorgonzola has matured after two to twelve months, it has taken on a mildly sweet to spicy taste. The odour is usually much stronger & can be mitigated by removing the bark.

📍 Tyrolean Alpine Cheese g.U.

A cheese produced during the summer months on Tyrolean alpine pastures & is therefore only available to a limited extent. After a minimum maturing period of three months, the taste of alpine summer unfolds in this cheese.

The alpine raw milk used with its unique milk flora is decisive for the special quality in addition to the artisanal production skills in small alpine dairies. The abundance of plants on the Tyrolean alpine pastures is a guarantee for this. Due to the shorter vegetation period & the larger fluctuations between day & night temperatures, there are special growth conditions & a higher concentration of the ingredients in the milk.

The cheese is firm to supple & ivory coloured to light yellow, its taste is mildly aromatic, nutty & becomes strongly spicy with aging.

📌…Basil is not just Basil, ….just a few basil species;

Basilico, the name comes from the Latin “Basilius” & the Greek “Basilikón Phutón”, meaning "Royal or Kingly Plant"

There is a wide variety & not only in Italy. The best known is the green, large-leaved variety "Genovese", but there are also red or small-leaved varieties. Lemon or cinnamon basil, for example, have special scents, these varieties or the Indian Tulsi basil can be easily integrated into your own tea creations when dried.

• Genovese Basil

It is probably the best-known & most popular type, which is mainly used for pesto. It is characterized by its intensely spicy taste & its strong green leaves, it can grow up to 50 cm high under good conditions.

📌…San Marzano Tomato

The San Marzano Tomato is the classic Italian paste tomato. This variety is an heirloom from San Marzano sul Sarno, a town in the Campania region of southern Italy, near the city of Naples. The sweet, elongated, pointy plum-type tomatoes make delicious cooked tomato sauces. San Marzano tomatoes have an intense tomato aroma & a flavour that perfectly balances a rich sweetness with refreshing acidity. This sweet-tart balance is most pronounced when the tomatoes are cooked. Harvested San Marzano tomatoes at peak ripeness if they are to be enjoyed immediately, either fresh or in a cooked sauce or crushed on a pizza.

There is an enormous difference between Roma, Plum Tomatoes & San Marzano Tomatoes.

The San Marzano Tomato is generally thinner, less uniform than Roma tomatoes & carries less seeds in only 2 instead of 3 seed chambers. The tip of San Marzano tomatoes is also much more pointed than Roma fruits. San Marzano tomatoes tend to have an intense, balanced sweet-tart taste, while Roma tomatoes have a more mild flavour that tends towards acidic.

The Roma tomato is a modern variety bred from the San Marzano heirloom tomato. Roma tomatoes are directly descended from the San Marzano. The Roma tomato was introduced to farmers in 1955 by the USDA’s Agricultural Research Service, whereas the San Marzano has been grown on the Italian coast for centuries.

👉…Beginning of the 20th century, Italian immigrants begun to open their own bakeries & were selling besides groceries as well pizza. The first documented United States pizzeria was Gennaro Lombardi’s, licensed to sell pizza in 1905 on Spring Street in Manhattan, a part known as “Little Italy” Lombardi’s, is still in operation today, however, no longer at its 1905 site, but has the same oven as it did originally. Pizza as we know & the world likes took the United States by storm before it became popular in its native Italy

Especially in the 50th, pizza’s popularity in the United States boomed & no longer seen as an Italian folkloric treat, it was increasingly identified as fast & fun food. Regional, decidedly non-Neapolitan variations emerged, eventually including California-gourmet pizzas topped with anything from barbecued chicken to smoked salmon.

Post-war pizza finally reached Italy & beyond their borders also influenced by the starting tourism. Like blue jeans, rock & roll, fast food etc. the Italians & the rest of the world picked up on pizza just because it was "Americano"…easy to eat, fast & tasty.

📍 …So actually pizza the way we like it is an "Italo-American" creation.

👉…One World one Dream,

🙏...Danke, Xièxie 谢谢, Thanks, Gracias, Merci, Grazie, Obrigado, Arigatô, Dhanyavad, Chokrane to you & over

17 million visits in my photostream with countless motivating comments

The olive harvest period starts in November and lasts till March. The olives are ready to be picked when the fruit is 3/4 ripe. This means that it should be purple or close to black. If it is allowed to ripe fully then the quality of the olive oil deteriorates and the acidity increases.

Olives are grown for eating and for production of olive oil. Olives can be harvested at any point from green immature fruit to fully ripened. When the olives should be harvested depends on what the olives will be used for and the flavor desired. Olives for eating are handpicked to avoid bruising. Olives for oil production can be harvested mechanically or with hand rakes. All olives need to be processed immediately after picking.

© All rights reserved R K ERTUG. Please do not use this image on websites, blogs or any other media without my explicit written permission.

Looking northwest from Osterlämmchen.

"Ediger-Eller is an Ortsgemeinde – a municipality belonging to a Verbandsgemeinde, a kind of collective municipality – in the Cochem-Zell district in Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany. It belongs to the Verbandsgemeinde of Cochem, whose seat is in the like-named town.

Ediger-Eller lies on the river Moselle. The constituent community of Eller is found at the foot of the Calmont.

The two constituent communities have a history that, according to a documentary mention, stretches at least as far back as the year 639. Potsherds that have been found, which came from a Roman factory near Trier suggest that the municipality may have existed as early as the 2nd or 3rd century AD.

Even older traces of settlement – remnants of a stone wall of a flight castle from Celtic times – can be found on the Hochkessel, the mountain on the other side of the Moselle. On the side of the Moselle facing towards the Hunsrück is a Roman-Gaulish burying ground near Saint Peter's Chapel (Peters-Kapelle) in Neef.

The sparse remnants of a Roman legion's garrison outpost can be found in the heights of the Calmont.

The constituent community of Eller was as early as the 5th century, in Merovingian times, the seat of a monastery consecrated to Saint Fridolin. Built onto the Late Romanesque tower is a Baroque nave with fine furnishings, among them a Stumm organ. In Saint Arnulf's Chapel across the street hangs the picture Verspottung Christi (“Mocking of Christ”) from the 15th century, after a drawing by Martin Schongauer. The Pyrmont and Electoral-Trier manor houses from the 16th century, today the ancestral seat of the Barons of Landenberg-Trimborn, underscore Eller's former importance.

Behind the railway bridge, with a slope of 65%, rises the Calmont, whose south side is the world's steepest vineyard, reaching a height of 378 m. A hike up the via ferrata to the mountain ridge is among the most impressive experiences on the Moselle. On the other side, on the former Insula Sankt Nicolai, stands the ruin of a convent church that once belonged to the Stuben Augustinian convent, founded in 1137. From 1208 to 1788, it housed the famous Limburger Staurothek, a reliquary that is important to art history, allegedly containing bits of the Cross on which Jesus was crucified. Today, it is part of the Limburg cathedral treasury.

Beginning in 1794, Ediger and Eller lay under French rule and were merged to form a single municipality. In 1815 they were assigned to the Kingdom of Prussia at the Congress of Vienna, and once again became two separate municipalities. Since 1877, Eller has lain near the end of the Kaiser-Wilhelm-Tunnel, which begins in Cochem and is named after Emperor Wilhelm I (not his more infamous grandson, Wilhelm II). From the time of its completion until 1987, it was Germany's longest railway tunnel at 4 205 m. The tunnel is part of the Moselstrecke (Moselle line). Not far from the tunnel portal, and before the Moselle bridge, stands Ediger-Eller railway station.

Beginning in 1946, the two municipalities were part of the then newly founded state of Rhineland-Palatinate. On 7 June 1969, in the course of administrative restructuring in Rhineland-Palatinate, Ediger and Eller were once again merged to form a single municipality.

Mosel (German: [ˈmoːzl̩]) is one of 13 German wine regions (Weinbaugebiete) for quality wines (Qualitätswein, formerly QbA and Prädikatswein), and takes its name from the Mosel River (French: Moselle; Luxembourgish: Musel). Before 1 August 2007 the region was called Mosel-Saar-Ruwer, but changed to a name that was considered more consumer-friendly. The wine region is Germany's third largest in terms of production but some consider it the leading region in terms of international prestige.

The region covers the valleys of the rivers Mosel, Saar, and Ruwer from near the mouth of the Mosel at Koblenz and upstream to the vicinity of Trier in the federal state of Rhineland-Palatinate. The area is known for the steep slopes of the region's vineyards overlooking the river. At 65° degrees incline, the steepest recorded vineyard in the world is the Calmont vineyard located on the Mosel and belonging to the village of Bremm, and therefore referred to as Bremmer Calmont. The Mosel is mainly famous for its wines made from the Riesling grape, but Elbling and Müller-Thurgau also contribute to the production, among others.

In the past two decades red wine production, especially from the Spätburgunder (Pinot noir), has increased in the Mosel and throughout the German vignoble and has become of increasing interest to the international wine community. Because of the northerly location of the Mosel, the Riesling wines are often light, tending to lower alcohol, crisp and high in acidity, and often exhibit "flowery" rather than or in addition to "fruity" aromas. Its most common vineyard soil is derived in the main from various kinds of slate deposits, which tend to give the wines a transparent, mineralic aspect, that often exhibit great depth of flavor. In the current era of climate change much work has been done to improve and gain acceptance for completely dry ("Trocken") Rieslings in this region, so that most of the more famous makers have found acceptance for such wines, particularly in Europe." - info from Wikipedia.

Summer 2019 I did a solo cycling tour across Europe through 12 countries over the course of 3 months. I began my adventure in Edinburgh, Scotland and finished in Florence, Italy cycling 8,816 km. During my trip I took 47,000 photos.

Now on Instagram.

Become a patron to my photography on Patreon or donate.

The Berkeley Pit is a former open pit copper mine located in Butte, Montana, United States. It is one mile long by half a mile wide with an approximate depth of 1,780 feet (540 m). It is filled to a depth of about 900 feet (270 m) with water that is heavily acidic (2.5 pH level), about the acidity of cola or lemon juice. As a result, the pit is laden with heavy metals and dangerous chemicals that leach from the rock, including arsenic, cadmium, zinc, and sulfuric acid.

The mine was opened in 1955 and operated by Anaconda Copper and later by the Atlantic Richfield Company (ARCO), until its closure in 1982. When the pit was closed, the water pumps in the nearby Kelly shaft, at a depth of 3,800 feet, were turned off, and groundwater from the surrounding aquifers began to slowly fill the pit, rising at about the rate of one foot a month. Since the pit closure on Earth Day 1982, the level has risen to within 150 feet of the natural groundwater level.

© all rights reserved by B℮n

Please take your time... to View it large on black

Chianti is a red Italian wine produced in Tuscany. The first definition of a wine-area called Chianti was made in 1716. The earliest documentation of a Chianti wine dates back to the thirteenth century when viticulture was known to flourish in the Chianti Mountains around Florence. Discover the most celebrated region of Tuscany. The vineyards of this area produce one of the best wines in the world: Chianti Classico. This Wine represents a major source of wealth for the Chianti area, no wonder then that this product has been particularly looked after and protected, in order to distinguish its quality from other wine productions. This is why a rigid legislation has been introduced to regulate the production of Classic Chianti. The first limit obviously regards the geographical area where the grape must grow. But not only the vineyards must be cultivated in the prescribed area: the whole process of wine-making, storage and bottling must take place inside the protected zone. The grape variety from which Chianti is produced is Sangiovese. The alcoholic strength must not exceed 12 %. In addition to this, there are other requirements that must be followed, regarding the average amount of dry product (24 g/l); the acidity rate (4,5 g/l), the colour (intense ruby red), the smell (fruity, with nuances of wildflowers, berries, cherries or plums) and taste (harmonious, dry, strong and with respectable tannin).

We drive on the glorious wine roads of Tuscany. Grapes and olives require similar climatic and soil conditions and share coinciding harvest times, making them a natural pair in the fields.

Long-term agricultural biodiversity appeals to vineyard owners, who realize that economic and seasonal variables, as well as consumer taste, make production of more than one quality product a proactive approach. Additionally, olive groves protect vineyards against strong winds, acting as windbreaks. We visit the farms and cellars and ofcourse taste the great Chianti wine.

Denk je aan Toscana, dan zie je stadjes op heuveltoppen, wijngaarden omzoomd door cipressen zover het oog reikt. Liefhebbers weten dat je overal tussen die landerijen. wijnhuizen kunt vinden waar je ook nog eens kunt proeven... het idee alleen al doet je toch bijna het water in de mond lopen. Ook als je weer thuis bent en je neemt een slok van je meegebrachte wijn, ben je er in je gedachten weer helemaal: op dat zonovergoten terras in Castellina in Chianti of bij dat fantastische restaurant met die truffelgerechten in Monteriggioni. Zeg je wijn in Toscana, dan zeg je Chianti, een wijn die zich in de laatste 30 jaar tot Classico heeft ontwikkeld. Chianti is de bekendste en populairste van alle Italiaanse wijnen. De wijn wordt gemaakt van de alom aanwezige Sangiovese-druif, die graag veel zon heeft en goed bestand is tegen grote temperatuurschommelingen. De belangrijkste Chianti-zones worden gevormd door de streek Chianti Classico gelegen rond Castellina. Zoals met zoveel in Italia, is ook de wijnbouw begonnen in het zuiden, maar hebben de noorderlingen het later overgenomen. Na de Romeinse tijd kwam de zuidelijke wijnbouw in de versukkeling. De oudste ononderbroken wijntraditie. In de Renaissance kwam de productie weer helemaal terug en wel in...Toscana. Rijke handelaars en bankiers zoals de families Frescobaldi en Antinori namen druivenrassen mee uit Frankrijk en legden daarmee de basis voor het feit dat Toscana tegenwoordig de oudste onononderbroken wijntradities van Italië kent.

Hydrangea Colors Are Determined By The Acidity Of The Soil

Hydrangea flower color changes based on the pH in soil. As the graph depicts, soil with a pH of 5.5 or lower will produce blue flowers, a pH of 6.5 or higher will produce pink hydrangeas, and soil in between 5.5 and 6.5 will have purple hydrangeas.

Hydrangea flower color can change based on the pH in soil. As the graph depicts, soil with a pH of 5.5 or lower will produce blue flowers, a pH of 6.5 or higher will produce pink hydrangeas, and soil in between 5.5 and 6.5 will have purple hydrangeas.

The flowers on a hydrangea shrub can change from blue to pink or from pink to blue from one season to the next depending on the acidity level of the soil.[33] Adding organic materials such as coffee grounds and citrus peel will increase acidity and turn hydrangea flowers blue.[34]

White hydrangeas cannot be color-manipulated by soil pH because they do not produce pigment for color. In other words, while the hue of the inflorescence is variable dependent upon cultural factors, the color saturation is genetically predetermined.

In most species, the flowers are white. In some, however, (notably H. macrophylla), they can be blue, red, or purple, with color saturation levels ranging from the palest of pinks, lavenders & powder blues, to deep, rich purples, reds, and royal blues. In these species, floral color change occurs due to the availability of aluminium ions, a variable which itself depends upon the soil pH.[16][17] For H. macrophylla and H. serrata cultivars, the flower color can be determined by the relative acidity of the soil: an acidic soil (pH below 7), will have available aluminium ions and typically produce flowers that are blue to purple,[18] whereas an alkaline soil (pH above 7) will tie up aluminium ions and result in pink or red flowers. This is caused by a color change of the flower pigments in the presence of aluminium ions which can be taken up into hyperaccumulating plants.[19]

Hydrangeas are A a genus of flowering plants.

Several terms redirect here. For other uses, see Hydrangea (disambiguation) and Hortensia (disambiguation).

Hydrangea (/haɪˈdreɪndʒə/[3][4] or /haɪˈdreɪndʒiə/[5]) is a genus of more than 70 species of flowering plants native to Asia and the Americas. Hydrangea is also used as the common name for the genus; some (particularly H. macrophylla) are also often called hortensia.[6] The genus was first described from Virginia in North America,[7] but by far the greatest species diversity is in eastern Asia, notably China, Korea, and Japan. Most are shrubs 1–3 m (3 ft 3 in – 9 ft 10 in) tall, but some are small trees, and others lianas reaching up to 30 m (100 ft) by climbing up trees. They can be either deciduous or evergreen, though the widely cultivated temperate species are all deciduous.[8]

Quick Facts Scientific classification, Type species ...

The flowers of many hydrangeas act as natural pH indicators, producing blue flowers when the soil is acidic and pink ones when the soil is alkaline.[9]

Etymology

Hydrangea is derived from Greek and means 'water vessel' (from ὕδωρ húdōr "water" + ἄγγος ángos or ἀγγεῖον angeîon "vessel"),[10][11][12] in reference to the shape of its seed capsules.[13] The earlier name, Hortensia, is a Latinised version of the French given name Hortense, honoring the French astronomer and mathematician Nicole-Reine Hortense Lepaute.[14] Philibert Commerson attempted to name the flower Lepautia or Peautia after Lepaute. However, the flower's accepted name later became Hortensia. This led to people believing Lepaute's name was Hortense, but the Larousse remarks that this is erroneous, and that the name probably came from hortus, garden.[15]

Life cycle

Hydrangea flowers are produced from early spring to late autumn; they grow in flowerheads (corymbs or panicles) most often at the ends of the stems. Typically the flowerheads contain two types of flowers: small non-showy fertile flowers in the center or interior of the flowerhead, and large, sterile showy flowers with large colorful sepals (tepals). These showy flowers are often extended in a ring, or to the exterior of the small flowers. Plants in wild populations typically have few to none of the showy flowers, while cultivated hydrangeas have been bred and selected to have more of the larger type flowers.

There are two flower arrangements in hydrangeas with corymb style inflorescences, which includes the commonly grown "bigleaf hydrangea"—Hydrangea macrophylla. Mophead flowers are large round flowerheads resembling pom-poms or, as the name implies, the head of a mop. In contrast, lacecap flowers bear round, flat flowerheads with a center core of subdued, small flowers surrounded by outer rings of larger flowers having showy sepals or tepals. The flowers of some rhododendrons and viburnums can appear, at first glance, similar to those of some hydrangeas.

Colors and soil acidity

Hydrangea flower color changes based on the pH in soil. As the graph depicts, soil with a pH of 5.5 or lower will produce blue flowers, a pH of 6.5 or higher will produce pink hydrangeas, and soil in between 5.5 and 6.5 will have purple hydrangeas.

Hydrangea flower color can change based on the pH in soil. As the graph depicts, soil with a pH of 5.5 or lower will produce blue flowers, a pH of 6.5 or higher will produce pink hydrangeas, and soil in between 5.5 and 6.5 will have purple hydrangeas.

The flowers on a hydrangea shrub can change from blue to pink or from pink to blue from one season to the next depending on the acidity level of the soil.[33] Adding organic materials such as coffee grounds and citrus peel will increase acidity and turn hydrangea flowers blue.[34]

White hydrangeas cannot be color-manipulated by soil pH because they do not produce pigment for color. In other words, while the hue of the inflorescence is variable dependent upon cultural factors, the color saturation is genetically predetermined.

In most species, the flowers are white. In some, however, (notably H. macrophylla), they can be blue, red, or purple, with color saturation levels ranging from the palest of pinks, lavenders & powder blues, to deep, rich purples, reds, and royal blues. In these species, floral color change occurs due to the availability of aluminium ions, a variable which itself depends upon the soil pH.[16][17] For H. macrophylla and H. serrata cultivars, the flower color can be determined by the relative acidity of the soil: an acidic soil (pH below 7), will have available aluminium ions and typically produce flowers that are blue to purple,[18] whereas an alkaline soil (pH above 7) will tie up aluminium ions and result in pink or red flowers. This is caused by a color change of the flower pigments in the presence of aluminium ions which can be taken up into hyperaccumulating plants.[19]

Species

Hydrangea paniculata

97 species are accepted.[20]

Hydrangea acuminata Siebold & Zucc.

Hydrangea albostellata Samain, Najarro & E.Martínez

Hydrangea alternifolia Siebold

Hydrangea × amagiana Makino

Hydrangea amamiohsimensis (Koidz.) Y.De Smet & Granados

Hydrangea ampla (Chun) Y.De Smet & Granados

Hydrangea anomala D.Don – (climbing hydrangea) Himalaya, southwest China

Hydrangea arborescens L. – (smooth hydrangea) eastern North America

Hydrangea arguta (Gaudich.) Y.De Smet & Granados

Hydrangea aspera Buch.-Ham. ex D.Don – China, Himalaya

Hydrangea asterolasia Diels

Hydrangea barbara (L.) Bernd Schulz

Hydrangea bifida (Maxim.) Y.De Smet & Granados

Hydrangea breedlovei Samain, Najarro & E.Martínez

Hydrangea bretschneideri Dippel – China

Hydrangea caerulea (Stapf) Y.De Smet & Granados

Hydrangea carroniae Samain & E.Martínez

Hydrangea chungii Rehder – China

Hydrangea cinerea Small – (ashy hydrangea) eastern United States

Hydrangea coenobialis Chun – China

Hydrangea corylifolia (Chun) Y.De Smet & Granados

Hydrangea crassa (Hand.-Mazz.) Y.De Smet & Granados

Hydrangea daimingshanensis (Y.C.Wu) Y.De Smet & Granados

Hydrangea davidii Franch. – China

Hydrangea densifolia (C.F.Wei) Y.De Smet & Granados

Hydrangea diplostemona (Donn.Sm.) Standl.

Hydrangea fauriei (Hayata) Y.De Smet & Granados

Hydrangea febrifuga (Lour.) Y.De Smet & Granados (syn. Dichroa febrifuga) – central & southern China to Malesia and New Guinea

Hydrangea glaucescens (Rehder) Y.De Smet & Granados – China, Myanmar and Vietnam

Hydrangea gracilis W.T.Wang & M.X.Nie – China

Hydrangea heteromalla D.Don – Himalaya, west and north China

Hydrangea hirsuta (Gagnep.) Y.De Smet & Granados

Hydrangea hirta (Thunb.) Siebold – Japan

Hydrangea hwangii J.M.H.Shaw

Hydrangea hydrangeoides (Siebold & Zucc.) Bernd Schulz – Ulleungdo, Japan, Kurils

Hydrangea hypoglauca Rehder – China

Hydrangea integrifolia Hayata – China

Hydrangea involucrata Siebold – Japan, Taiwan

Hydrangea jelskii Szyszył. – Andes

Hydrangea kawagoeana Koidz.

Hydrangea kwangsiensis Hu – China

Hydrangea kwangtungensis Merr. – China

Hydrangea lalashanensis S.S.Ying

Hydrangea lingii G.Hoo – China

Hydrangea linkweiensis Chun – China

Hydrangea liukiuensis Nakai

Hydrangea lobbii Maxim.

Hydrangea longifolia Hayata – China

Hydrangea longipes Franch. – western China

Hydrangea luteovenosa Koidz.

Hydrangea macrocarpa Hand.-Mazz. – China

Hydrangea macrophylla (Thunb.) Ser. – (bigleaf hydrangea) southeast Japan, southern China

Hydrangea mangshanensis C.F.Wei – China

Hydrangea marunoi Tagane & S.Fujii

Hydrangea mathewsii Briq.

Hydrangea megalocarpa (Chun) J.M.H.Shaw

Hydrangea minamitanii (H.Ohba) Yahara

Hydrangea × mizushimarum H.Ohba

Hydrangea moellendorffii Hance

Hydrangea mollissima (Merr.) Y.De Smet & Granados

Hydrangea nahaensis Samain & E.Martínez

Hydrangea nebulicola Nevling & Gómez Pompa

Hydrangea obtusifolia (Hu) Y.De Smet & Granados

Hydrangea ofeliae Sodusta & Lumawag

Hydrangea otontepecensis Samain & E.Martínez

Hydrangea paniculata Siebold – (panicled hydrangea) eastern China, Japan, Korea, Sakhalin

Hydrangea peruviana Moric. ex Ser. – Costa Rica and Panama, Andes

Hydrangea petiolaris Siebold & Zucc. – (climbing hydrangea) Japan, Korea, Sakhalin

Hydrangea pingtungensis S.S.Ying

Hydrangea platyarguta Y.De Smet & Samain

Hydrangea pottingeri Prain (synonym Hydrangea chinensis Maxim.) – Arunachal Pradesh, Myanmar, southeastern China, and Taiwan

Hydrangea preslii Briq.

Hydrangea quercifolia W.Bartram – (oakleaf hydrangea) southeast United States

Hydrangea radiata Walter – (silverleaf hydrangea) southeast United States

Hydrangea robusta Hook.f. & Thomson – China, Himalaya

Hydrangea sargentiana Rehder – western China

Hydrangea scandens (L.f.) Ser. – southern Japan south to the Philippines

Hydrangea serrata (Thunb.) Ser. – Japan, Korea

Hydrangea serratifolia (Thunb.) Ser. – Chile, western Argentina

Hydrangea sikokiana Maxim.

Hydrangea sousae Samain, Najarro & E.Martínez

Hydrangea steyermarkii Standl.

Hydrangea strigosa Rehder – China

Hydrangea stylosa Hook.f. & Thomson – China

Hydrangea taiwaniana Y.C.Liu & F.Y.Lu

Hydrangea tapalapensis Samain, Najarro & E.Martínez

Hydrangea tarapotensis Briq. – Andes

Hydrangea tomentella (Hand.-Mazz.) Y.De Smet & Granados

Hydrangea × versicolor (Fortune) J.M.H.Shaw

Hydrangea viburnoides (Hook.f. & Thomson) Y.De Smet & Granados

Hydrangea wallichii J.M.H.Shaw

Hydrangea xanthoneura Diels – China

Hydrangea xinfeniae W.B.Ju & J.Ru

Hydrangea yaoshanensis (Y.C.Wu) Y.De Smet & Granados

Hydrangea yayeyamensis Koidz.

Hydrangea × ytiensis (J.M.H.Shaw) J.M.H.Shaw

Hydrangea yunnanensis Rehder

Hydrangea zhewanensis P.S.Hsu & X.P.Zhang – China

Fossil record

Hydrangea knowltoni

†Hydrangea alaskana is a fossil species recovered from Paleogene strata at Jaw Mountain Alaska.[21] †Hydrangea knowltoni has been described from leaves and flowers recovered from the Miocene Langhian Latah Formation of the inland Pacific Northwest United states. The related Miocene species †Hydrangea bendirei is known to from the Mascall Formation in Oregon, and †Hydrangea reticulata is documented from the Weaverville Formation in California.[22][23]

Four fossil seeds of †Hydrangea polonica have been extracted from borehole samples of the Middle Miocene fresh water deposits in Nowy Sacz Basin, West Carpathians, Poland.[24]

Cultivation and uses

Hydrangeas are popular ornamental plants, grown for their large flowerheads, with Hydrangea macrophylla being by far the most widely grown. It has over 600 named cultivars, many selected to have only large sterile flowers in the flowerheads. Hydrangea macrophylla, also known as bigleaf hydrangea, can be broken up into two main categories; mophead hydrangea and lacecap hydrangea. Some are best pruned on an annual basis when the new leaf buds begin to appear. If not pruned regularly, the bush will become very "leggy", growing upwards until the weight of the stems is greater than their strength, at which point the stems will sag down to the ground and possibly break. Other species only flower on "old wood". Thus, new wood resulting from pruning will not produce flowers until the following season.

The following cultivars and species have gained the Royal Horticultural Society's Award of Garden Merit under the synonym Schizophragma:[25]

S. hydrangeoides var. concolor 'Moonlight'[26]

S. hydrangeoides var. hydrangeoides 'Roseum'[27]

S. integrifolium[28]

Hydrangea root and rhizome are indicated for the treatment of conditions of the urinary tract in the Physicians' Desk Reference for Herbal Medicine and may have diuretic properties.[29] Hydrangeas are moderately toxic if eaten, with all parts of the plant containing cyanogenic glycosides.[30] Hydrangea paniculata is reportedly sometimes smoked as an intoxicant, despite the danger of illness and/or death due to the cyanide.[31][32]

The flowers on a hydrangea shrub can change from blue to pink or from pink to blue from one season to the next depending on the acidity level of the soil.[33] Adding organic materials such as coffee grounds and citrus peel will increase acidity and turn hydrangea flowers blue.[34]

A popular pink hydrangea called Vanilla Strawberry has been named "Top Plant" by the American Nursery and Landscape Association.

A hybrid "Runaway Bride Snow White", from Japan, won Plant of the Year at the 2018 RHS Chelsea Flower Show.[35]

In culture

In Japan, ama-cha (甘茶), meaning sweet tea, is another herbal tea made from Hydrangea serrata, whose leaves contain a substance that develops a sweet taste (phyllodulcin). For the fullest taste, fresh leaves are crumpled, steamed, and dried, yielding dark brown tea leaves. Ama-cha is mainly used for kan-butsu-e (the Buddha bathing ceremony) on April 8 every year—the day thought to be Buddha's birthday in Japan. During the ceremony, ama-cha is poured over a statue of Buddha and served to people in attendance. A legend has it that on the day Buddha was born, nine dragons poured Amrita over him; ama-cha is substituted for Amrita in Japan.

In Korean tea, Hydrangea serrata is used for an herbal tea called sugukcha (수국차) or isulcha (이슬차).

The pink hydrangea has risen in popularity all over the world, especially in Asia. The given meaning of pink hydrangeas is popularly tied to the phrase "you are the beat of my heart," as described by the celebrated Korean florist Tan Jun Yong, who was quoted saying, "The light delicate blush of the petals reminds me of a beating heart, while the size could only match the heart of the sender!"[36]

Hydrangea quercifolia was declared the official state wildflower of the U.S. state of Alabama in 1999.[37]

Hydrangeas were used by the Cherokee people of what is now the Southern U.S. as a mild diuretic and cathartic; it was considered a valuable remedy for stone and gravel in the bladder.[38]

Extrafloral nectaries were reported on hydrangea species by Zimmerman 1932, but Elias 1983 regards this as "doubtful".[39]